Symptomatic Dry Eye Prevalence and Related Factors in an Open University, Bangkok, Thailand

Although dry eye is not a life-threatening disease, its chronic conditions cause ocular damage, and impair daily activities and work performance. Dry eye is a geriatric disease; however, its prevalence has recently increased among the productive-age group. In Thailand, open universities offering distance learning necessitate excessive eye use among members that possibly induces dry eye. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of symptomatic dry eye and its associated factors in an open university’s productive-age group in Bangkok by using an internet-based cross-sectional study. 630 university members were conveniently selected from 13 academic faculties. Four sections of the structured questionnaire i.e. 1.) personal factors, 2.) Thai-Perceived Stress Scale-10 and the Thai version of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, 3.) digital gadget use, and 4.) McMonies questionnaire were transformed to online versions and sent to selected subjects from May to June 2020. Of 542 respondents, the overall prevalence of symptomatic dry eye was 17.5%. The prevalence among those aged <30 years was 10%, and 40% among those aged >49 years. Multiple binary logistic regression revealed a significant association between age >49 years (OR = 9.01), wearing contact lenses (OR = 2.00), and poor sleep quality (OR = 1.70) and higher prevalence of dry eye (p<0.05). The high prevalence of symptomatic dry eye in this study emphasizes a need for public health attention on dry eye prevention among the productive-age group in academic institutions. Productive-age individuals who are aged >49 years, wear contact lenses and have poor sleep quality should be advised to be aware of dry eye condition.