New research has found the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) in children is slightly under the prevalence found in adults.
But it is “conceivable that DED may be underdiagnosed owing to underreporting in children with chronic DED symptoms and the lack of tools designed specifically for the young population,” wrote Professor Fiona Stapleton, from the University of New South Wales, and colleagues.
“Young people with DED appear to experience a similar profile of symptoms to adults, and the impact of DED on quality of life is considerable, with effects on presenteeism, concentration and performance at school and other activities, including reading and playing,” the researchers said.
Prof Stapleton and colleagues did a literature search from January 2000 to December 2022, identifying 54 relevant publications.
Using similar diagnostic criteria to those reported in adults… the prevalence of DED in children ranged from 5.5% to 23.1%.
“Using similar diagnostic criteria to those reported in adults, namely standardised questionnaires and evaluation of tear film homeostatic signs, the prevalence of DED in children ranged from 5.5% to 23.1%.
“There was limited evidence for the influence of ethnicity in children, however some studies reported an effect of sex in older children,” the study authors said.
Factors associated with DED included digital device use, duration of digital device use, outdoor time, and urban living. Rates of DED were higher in children with ocular allergy and underlying systemic diseases.
“Compared with similar studies in adults, the prevalence of a prior DED diagnosis or a diagnosis based on signs and symptoms was lower in children, but symptoms were commonly reported,” the authors noted.
“Treatment options were similar to those in adults, including lifestyle modifications, blinking, management of lid disease and unpreserved lubricants in mild disease with escalating treatment with severity.”
They concluded that population-based studies are required to understand the prevalence of, and risk factors for, DED in children and said development of age-appropriate thresholds for signs and symptoms of DED would support better diagnosis of the disease.
Reference
- Stapleton F, Velez FG, Lau C, Wolffsohn JS. Dry eye disease in the young: A narrative review, The Ocular Surface 2024 (31),11-20. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2023.12.001.
