Association between the symptoms and signs in patients with dry eye

Abstract

According to the definition of dry eye given by the Workshop dry eye in 2007, the symptoms of the dry eye is the result of changes in the tear film and ocular surface damage. But the studies that seek to establish partnership and/or correlation between the signs and symptoms are quite contradictory. <em><strong>Objective:</strong></em> to determine the association between the symptoms reported in the questionnaire Donate et al (2002) and the Schirmer test, BUT, conjunctival impression cytology and HLA-DR expression in patients with dry eye. <em><strong>Methods:</strong></em> we studied 63 eyes of patients with dry eye that Instituto de Investigaciones Optometricas of University of La Salle, with clinic suspected dry eye and 19 eyes of subjects who showed eye disease, which was analyzed as controls. All patients and controls were applied the questionnaire Donate, Schirmer test, BUT, conjunctival impression cytology and expression of HLA-DR in impression cytology by immunohistochemistry. X2 is applied to establish the association between the symptoms reported in the questionnaire and each of the clinical and laboratory tests. <em><strong>Results:</strong></em> we present statistically significant association between symptoms and Schirmer test (X2 = 16,9 p < 0,0001), BUT (X2 = 9,10 p = 0,0026), expression of HLA-DR (X2 = 9,9 p = 0,017). There was no association between the symptoms reported in the questionnaire with conjunctival impression cytology (X2 = 3,25 p = 0,07). Conclusions: a strong association was found between symptoms of patients with dry eye with the decrease in the quantity and quality of the tear film. It was also established association between the symptoms and the inflammatory response evidenced by the expression of HLA-DR in the conjunctival epithelial cells.