Diabetes and Dry Eye Disease

At our Vancouver eye clinic we see many patients with diabetes because diabetics are at risk for eye diseases that can cause permanent vision loss. However, it is less well recognized that diabetics often suffer from dry eye disease. In fact, a recent study published in the journal Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) examined 50 patients with diabetes and found that 52% of them had symptoms consistent with dry eye disease.

Eye doctors need to pay attention to the possibility that their diabetic patients are suffering from dry eye disease and provide appropriate treatment options to patients who have dry eye disease in addition to diabetes.

Source:

Tear Osmolarity and Dry Eye Symptoms In Diabetics
Clin Ophthalmol 2014 Mar 01;2014(8)507-515, N Fuerst, N Langelier, M Massaro-Giordano, M Pistilli, K Stasi, C Burns, S Cardillo, VY Bunya