Purpose: To evaluate the association between dry eye disease (DED) and various psychiatric and systemic diseases in an adult Korean population aged 40 years or older.
Methods: Population-based cross-sectional data of 6,732 participants aged ≥40 years was extracted from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018 (KNHANES VII). Data including DED, demographic variables, behavioral factors, psychiatric conditions, and systemic diseases was analysed to determine the prevalence and psychiatric and systemic risk factors for DED.
Results: The weighted prevalence of DED was 7.9 ± 0.4% (mean ± SE). Multivariate analysis showed that female sex and urban residence were associated with an increased risk of DED. The prevalence of DED was lower in patients aged ≥70 years than in those aged 40-69 years. Self-reported psychological conditions including perceived stress and depression were associated with the risk of DED. Self-reported Systemic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative arthritis, osteoporosis, ischemic heart disease, and chronic renal failure had association with an increased risk of DED.
Conclusion: DED may be associated with several self-reported psychiatric and systemic conditions, which highlights the need for an integrated approach to manage these diseases for optimal treatment of DED.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.