Determining the effect of climate and profession on dry eye disease: A prevalence study among young males in north, north-west and central India.

Background: Ocular tear film and the ocular surface together represent a dynamic playground of various protective factors against environmental influencers. Surrounding environment and geoclimatic milieu are the pertinent and continuous influencing factors. Prevalence study of Dry eye disease (DED) in various climatic conditions and professions provides an insight into this peculiar aspect of DED and human geography.
Methods: This was a hospital based, cross-sectional, comparative, analytical observational study. 1840 young soldiers between 25 and 45 years of age were studied. Divided in five climate groups based on Köppen-Geiger climate classification system the subjects were sub-grouped into professions exposed to known aggravating environmental factors. The ocular surface was examined for signs and symptoms of DED and its prevalence and risk ratio for different climates and professions were calculated.
Results: Highest prevalence of DED was found in cold desert climate and among visual display unit (VDU) users. Least prevalence was seen in highland type of climate and among people involved in professional exposed to high temperature. Prevalence of DED based upon the signs and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) was calculated and stratified with risk ratio for climatic conditions and professions.
Conclusion: Different climatic conditions and professions had different prevalence of signs, symptoms of OSD and DED which indicated its influence on prevalence of the disease.
Competing Interests: The authors have none to declare.
(© 2022 Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services. Published by Elsevier, a division of RELX India Pvt. Ltd.)