Cont
Lens Anterior Eye. 2010 Aug;33(4):171-5. Epub 2010 Apr 9.
Tear film
evaporation--effect of age and gender.
Source
OTG
Research & Consultancy, London, UK.
Abstract
PURPOSE:
Dry eye
is more prevalent in older patients and among them more marked in women than
men. The increase in dry eye with aging is traditionally thought to be
associated with a decrease in tear production enhanced by hormonal changes.
Clinical evidence of an abnormal lipid production system in older patients, in
particular women is established. It is therefore postulated that the greater
prevalence of dry eye problems in an older population has an evaporative
component.
METHODS:
Tear film
evaporation was measured with the Oregon Health Sciences University
Evaporimeter at 30% and 40% humidity.
RESULTS:
160
subjects less than 45 years old and 57 subjects aged 45 years or more formed
the study population. The results revealed a significant effect of age (p <
0.001), gender (p < 0.001) and their interaction (p < 0.001): (i) the
rate of evaporation was higher in the older age group at both humidities; (ii)
the rate of evaporation was overall higher for women; and (iii) the synergic
effect of age and gender was very marked: the rate of evaporation of older
women was 34-80% higher than that of older men and 36-69% than younger women.
CONCLUSIONS:
Aging of
the tear film includes a significant evaporative component characterised by
higher tear film evaporation for the over 45 compared to younger people.
Further, in the over 45 years of age, a significantly greater tear film
evaporation was recorded in women than men. The findings have significant
implications for the management of presbyopic dry eye sufferers.
2010
British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights
reserved
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