title: Japan Ministry of Health study on prevalence of dry eye disease among Japanese high school students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of dry eye disease and contact lens (CL) use among Japanese private high school students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional prevalence survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a cross-sectional survey in 3,433 Japanese high school students who completed questionnaires designed to ascertain a prior diagnosis of dry eye disease and current symptoms of dry eye disease, as well as information on CL use and type of CL. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the associations between dry eye disease and CL use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3,443 high school students, 3,433 (100%) completed the questionnaires. A total of 2,848 boys and 585 girls joined and the age range was from 15 to 18 years. Clinically diagnosed dry eye disease was present in 123 boys (4.3%) and 47 girls (8.0%). Severe symptoms of dry eye disease were observed in 599 subjects in boys (21.0%) and 143 in girls (24.4%). Soft contact lens (SCL) and hard contact lens (HCL) use was 36.1% and 1.7%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dry eye disease leading to a clinical diagnosis or severe symptoms is prevalent in the studied Japanese private high school students. The condition is more prevalent among female subjects and CL wearers. Relevant measures directed against these risks could provide a positive impact on public health and quality of life of high school students.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Ryogoku Eye Clinic, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Miki
authors: M
authors: Uchino
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Dogru
authors: Yuichi
authors: Y
authors: Uchino
authors: Kazumi
authors: K
authors: Fukagawa
authors: Shigeto
authors: S
authors: Shimmura
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Takebayashi
authors: Debra A
authors: DA
authors: Schaumberg
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006077:Government Agencies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires