Aim: To study the prevalence and clinical subtypes of dry eye disease among pregnant women. As Multisystemic physiological changes in pregnancy can result in tear film disturbance and dry eye.

Methods: A hospital- based cross sectional study of pregnant women attending antenatal clinic. Subjects completed the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) followed by clinical examination of the ocular surface comprising of Slit lamp examination, Tear film break up time test(TBUT), Schirmers 1 test. Subjects with predisposing risk factors for dry eye were excluded from the study.

Results: A total of 88 women were included in the study, with mean age (SD) of 24 (±4.74) years (age range, 18–40 years). The prevalence of dry eye disease among the pregnant women was 39.78% (35/88 ,95% confidence interval).The frequencies of the clinical subtypes of dry eye were: evaporative dry eye [7/35(29%; 95% CI)], aqueous deficient dry eye [5/35(14.2.%; 95% CI)], mixed dry eye [2/35(5.7%; 95%)], and unclassified dry eye [21/35(60%; 95% CI)].

Keywords:  dry eye disease, pregnancy.

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Dr Rishika H.

Assistant Prof, Department of Ophthalmology, Al Azhar Medical College and Superspeciality Hospital, Thodupuzha