Assessment of Dry Eye Disease in Patients Attending Eye OPD in Nepalgunj Medical College

Abstract

Introduction: Dry Eye Disease is a complex multifactorial ocular surface disorder characterized by an unstable tear film and intraocular discomfort. Its estimated incidence is 5% to 50%, ranking amongst the top reasons for outpatient consultation in ophthalmology. The research aims to identify contributory risk factors, discover variations between the genders, measure the occurrence in different age groups, and find out the common occurrence of this disease.

Methods: The research was a prospective, descriptive observational examination conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology outpatient department at Nepalgunj Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Kohalpur. Two hundred consecutive patients with dry eye symptoms were registered in the study. Relevant demographic details and clinical examination findings of all participants were recorded on a customized data collection form and analyzed using the SPSS software version 27.

Result: The demographic profile revealed clear evidence that women were affected more than men by Dry eye disease. Premenopausal women comprised 60.2% of subjects, accounting for the 2.1:1 female-to-male ratio. The most widely affected single-age groups fell between the ages of 31 and 40 years, comprising 32.5% of the entire population of patients. From the modifiable risk factors, the majority of patients lived in urban areas (59%), most of them followed a non-vegetarian diet based on red meat (88%), and a big section reported almost regular exposure to either a computer or air-conditioning environments (34%). Clinically, the primary symptom most reported was a burning sensation (60%) followed by redness of the eyes (41%); in addition, there is also a complication of excessive tearing (40%). Among the other non-modifiable risk factors, there were underlying systemic diseases: diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and arthritis.

Conclusion: Dry eye disease emerged as a leading cause of ocular discomfort in our study, disproportionately affecting women—particularly those aged 31–40—and those exposed to urban environments, prolonged screen use, and systemic comorbidities.