Evaluation of Tear Evaporation Rate in Subjects with a High Body Mass Index

Abstract

Aim This study evaluated the tear evaporation rate (TER) in subjects with a high body mass index (BMI) and tested the correlation between BMI and dry eye.

Methods Thirty male subjects aged 18 – 38 years (26.4 ± 4.0 years) with a high BMI (26.4 – 47.0 kg/m²) were enrolled in the study. In addition, a control group of 30 males aged 20 – 36 years (24.0 ± 3.6 years) with a normal BMI (< 25 kg/m²) participated in the study for comparison. Each subject completed the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), followed by the TER measurement using a handheld VapoMeter.

Results Significant differences (Wilcoxon test; p = 0.002 and 0.001) were found between the median scores of the OSDI (10.3 [3.7] vs. 5.9 [7.2]) and TER (35.5 [13.1] vs. 15.5 [12.8] g/m² h) in the study and control groups, respectively. The OSDI indicated dry eye in 60.0% of subjects in the study group (n = 18). The TER measurements showed that 76.7% of subjects in the study group (n = 23) had dry eyes. A medium correlation (r = 0.569; p = 0.001) was found between the OSDI scores and TER measurements.

Conclusions The means of the tear evaporation rate and the ocular surface disease index scores are significantly higher in subjects with a high BMI compared with the control group. Therefore, a high BMI is considered a risk factor for dry eye. The measurement of the tear evaporation rate using a handheld VapoMeter is a simple and rapid method to detect dry eyes in combination with other tools.

Zusammenfassung

Ziel Diese Studie bewertete die Tränenverdunstungsrate (TER) bei Probanden mit einem hohen Body-Mass-Index (BMI) und testete die Korrelation zwischen BMI und trockenem Auge.

Methoden 30 männliche Probanden im Alter von 18 – 38 Jahren (26,4 ± 4,0 Jahre) mit einem hohen BMI (26,4 – 47,0 kg/m²) wurden in die Studie aufgenommen. Zusätzlich nahm zum Vergleich eine Kontrollgruppe von 30 Männern im Alter von 20 – 36 Jahren (24,0 ± 3,6 Jahre) mit einem normalen BMI (< 25 kg/m²) an der Studie teil. Jeder Proband vervollständigte den Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), gefolgt von der TER-Messung mit einem tragbaren VapoMeter.

Ergebnisse Signifikante Unterschiede (Wilcoxon-Test; p = 0,002 und 0,001) wurden zwischen den Medianwerten des OSDI (10,3 [3,7] vs. 5,9 [7,2]) und TER (35,5 [13,1] vs. 15,5 [12,8] g/m² h) in der Studien- bzw. Kontrollgruppe gefunden. Der OSDI zeigte bei 60,0% der Probanden in der Studiengruppe (n = 18) ein trockenes Auge an. Die TER-Messungen zeigten, dass 76,7% der Probanden in der Studiengruppe (n = 23) trockene Augen hatten. Zwischen den OSDI-Scores und den TER-Messungen wurde eine mittlere Korrelation (r = 0,569; p = 0,001) gefunden.

Schlussfolgerungen Die Mittelwerte der Tränenverdunstungsrate und der Ocular-Surface-Disease-Index-Scores sind bei Probanden mit hohem BMI im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe signifikant höher. Daher gilt ein hoher BMI als Risikofaktor für das trockene Auge. Die Messung der Tränenverdunstungsrate mit einem tragbaren VapoMeter ist eine einfache und schnelle Methode, um trockene Augen in Kombination mit anderen Instrumenten zu erkennen.

Key words

tear evaporation rate - high body mass index - dry eye - handheld VapoMeter - tear film evaporation

Schlüsselwörter

Tränenverdunstungsrate - hoher Body-Mass-Index - trockenes Auge - tragbares VapoMeter - Tränenfilmverdunstung

Publication History

Received: 23 August 2021

Accepted: 17 February 2022

Article published online:
14 April 2022

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