The Effect Of Preserved Glaucoma Drugs On Dry Eye

Objective: The aim of this study was to find the effect on dry eye in patients usingpreservative-containing glaucoma drugs.Methods:100glaucoma patients were subjected to dry eye tests while using1or2anti-glaucoma drugs for the treatment of the disease. The control group who were relativesaccompanying patients were not suffering from any disease, in the number of30, ofdifferent age-groups, had undergone the same tests. Four dry eye tests were done in orderof tear meniscus height and Schirmer I. After a10-minute break, the fluorescein tear breakup time followed by corneal staining tests were carried out.Results: In100patients with glaucoma,67cases were found positive (67%) for dryeye test and33cases were negative (33%).About70%(n=14) of the patients usingAlphagan (brimonidine tartrate) for the treatment of their disease showed positive resultsafter the tests. Patients who were using Azopt (brinzolamide) as treatment for theirglaucoma,87.5%(n=7) had a confirmed diagnosis of dry eye. Among those patients whowere using Carteolol, the prevalence of dry eye was69%(n=11). About50%(n=4) whowere using Lumigan (bimatoprost) had a diagnosis of dry eye. Those patients usingTravatan (travoprost),70%(n=7) suffer from dry eye. Almost90%(n=9) of patients usingXalatan (latanoprost) reported the development of dry eye. In the control group,17%(n=5)were found to be positive. A total of36patients(8males,28females) were using1drug(Alphagan or Carteolol). The percentage of male having positive results was50%(n=4)whereas for female was75%(n=21). Out of28patients (15males,13females) using twodrugs (Alphagan and Carteolol),40%(n=6) had positive dry eye test whereas for femalethe percentage was69.2%9(n=9). In the age distribution of25-45the percentage of dry eyewas44.4%(n=12). Between the range46-66the occurrence of dry eye was72.7%(n=32)and in the range of67-87, the positive result was79.9%(n=23). The comparison of dry eye in male and female between age groups in the range of25-45was36.4%(n=4) for maleand50%(n=8) for female. In the range of46-66,58.8%(n=10) of male suffered from dryeye while81.2%(n=22) of female were positive. In the range67-87, the percentage of malewas62.5%(n=5) and that of female was85.7%(n=18).Conclusion:1. Dry eye is prevalent among medically treated patients with glaucoma.2. The positive rate of dry eye test in glaucoma patients who were using preservedanti-glaucoma drugs was significantly high.3. Dry eye disease is more common in females than in males.4. The diagnostic steps for dry eye patients can be efficiently arranged. The dry eyetests (Tear meniscus height, Schirmer I, Fluorescein tear break-up time, corneal staining)are quite sensitive and can be used to diagnose dry eye disease.5. There is a positive correlation between age and dry eye disease.