title: The changes in tear film parameters and impression cytology in heavily drinking men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the tear film function and ocular surface changes in heavily drinking men.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective case-control study involved 35 male subjects with heavy alcohol consumption (group 1) and 35 age- and sex-matched control subjects (group 2). Best-corrected visual acuity measurement, slit-lamp examination, Schirmer I test, tear film break-up time (BUT) measurement, and conjunctival impression cytology were performed in all subjects. The results were compared between the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean Schirmer I test results in group 1 and group 2 were 8.31 ± 3.56 mm and 13.17 ± 5.71 mm, respectively, and the mean BUT values were 9.22 ± 3.10 seconds and 13.20 ± 4.04 seconds, respectively. The mean Schirmer I and BUT results were statistically lower in group 1 than in group 2 (P < 0.0001). The mean impression cytology scores in group 1 and group 2 were 2.08 ± 0.78 and 1.37 ± 0.94, respectively. A statistically significant difference was noted between the study and control groups for the grading of cytological changes (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed that heavily drinking men have decreased tear production, tear film instability, and significant degeneration of the ocular surface epithelium when compared with normal subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Inonu University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. tongabay@superonline.com
authors.forename: Tongabay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cumurcu
authors.forename: Abuzer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gunduz
authors.forename: Birgul Elbozan
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Cumurcu
authors.forename: Işil Gögcegöz
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Gül
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akpolat
authors.forename: Rifat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karlidag
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014792:Visual Acuity