A new study shows that early diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome in diabetic patients may help prevent problems such as scarring and perforation of the cornea and secondary bacterial infection.
Scientists at the Yazd Diabetes Research Center evaluated 199 type 2 diabetic patients for dry eye syndrome and other factors. Of the 199 subjects, 108 patients (54.3%) were found to suffer from dry eye syndrome.
Although dry eye syndrome was more common in older and female patients, this association was not significant. However, researchers did find a significant association between dry eye syndrome and duration of diabetes. Researchers also noted that dry eye syndrome was more frequent in diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Study authors concluded that dry eye syndrome in diabetic patients may be a contributor for a variety of corneal complications including superficial punctuate keratopathy, trophic ulceration, and persistent epithelial defect. The authors recommended that examination for dry eye should be an integral part of the assessment of diabetic eye disease.
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SOURCE: Prevalence of dry eye syndrome and diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients, Manaviat, et al, BMC Ophthalmology 2008, 8:10doi:10.1186/1471-2415-8-10.