Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Optometry, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences,, Tehran. Iran
2
Department of Optometry, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. Iran
3
Noor Ophthalmology Research Center, Noor Eye Hospital, Tehran, Iran
4
Department of Optometry, School of Rehabilitation and Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
Purpose:
Dry eye is a prevalent ocular condition characterized by tear film instability and inflammation of the ocular surface, which may result in visual impairment. This study sought to examine the impact of dry eye on higher-order aberrations (HOAs) within a young population and to explore their relationship with tear film parameters.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, 40 young individuals diagnosed with dry eye were compared to 40 healthy subjects matched for age and sex. The criteria for diagnosing dry eye included an Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score of 13 or higher, accompanied by at least one objective sign such as a tear film break-up time (TBUT) of 10 seconds or less, a Schirmer test score of 5 mm or lower, or corneal staining graded at 1 or above. Higher-order optical aberrations were assessed using a Pentacam device for a 6 mm pupil diameter. Independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, were employed to assess the differences in HOAs between the dry eye and control groups. Additionally, the relationships between HOAs and tear film parameters were evaluated using Spearman correlation test.
Results:
The average vertical coma (Z3,-1) and spherical (Z4,0) aberrations, along with total HOAs, were significantly elevated in the dry eye group compared to the control group (all P values < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between vertical coma and OSDI (0.391, P=0.001), while a significant negative correlation was noted with TBUT (-0.306, P=0.008) and Schirmer score (-0.244, P=0.037). Additionally, a significant positive correlation was identified between spherical aberration and OSDI (0.461, P<0.001), alongside significant negative correlations with TBUT (-0.365, P=0.002) and Schirmer score (-0.280, P=0.017).
Conclusion:
Dry eye in younger individuals is associated with an increase in higher-order aberrations, particularly vertical coma and spherical aberrations. These results suggest that evaluating HOAs may serve as a useful diagnostic tool in the management of dry eye among young populations.
Keywords
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