Frequency and Associated Factors of Dry Eye among Glaucoma Patients Attending Tertiary Eye Hospital, Karachi

Background: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disease of the eye. The disease is characterised by failure to produce sufficiently high amounts of tears to moisturise the ocular surface. Objective: To determine the frequency and influencing factors of dry eye among glaucoma patients visiting the tertiary eye hospital of Karachi. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was commenced in the glaucoma department of Al-Ibrahim Eye Hospital (AIEH), Karachi, from July to December 2023. The sample was collected through non-probability consecutive sampling. Patients underwent detailed examination, including Intraocular pressure (IOP) and Dry eye assessment. Dry eye was categorised as Severe (0-5mm wetting), moderate (>5-10mm wetting), mild (>10-15mm wetting) and normal (>15mm wetting). The data was analysed using SPSS Version 26.0. Results: A total of 75 eyes of 58 patients were included in the study. Mean age was 52.13±6.68 years. The majority of the patients were males, 52% (n=30). The severity of dry eye was frequently seen in patients above 50 years of age, 47.5% (n=19). In multivariable regression analysis, patients with an age above 50 years have high chances of dry eye compared to those aged 16 to 30 years (aOR: 1.509, 95% CI: 0.725–2.961). Among different medications, the combination of an anhydrase inhibitor and a beta blocker has a 2.131 times higher risk of dry eyes compared to prostaglandin (aOR: 2.131, 95% CI: 0.336–8.445). Conclusion: The Study concludes that the age, duration of glaucoma and combination of different glaucoma medications are independently associated with the occurrence of dry eye.