Characteristics of dry eye associated with autoimmune diseases.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of dry eye in patients with autoimmune disease.

Study design: Retrospective clinical study.

Methods: Two hundred and fifty-two eyes from 252 patients (12 men and 240 women, mean age 59.8 ±15.2) with autoimmune disease and dry eye were enrolled. Patients were divided into three groups: primary Sjogren's syndrome, secondary Sjogren's syndrome, and autoimmune disease without Sjogren's syndrome.

Results: Among all cases, the mean fluorescein breakup time (FBUT) was 2.7 ± 1.6 s, the van Bijesterveld corneal score was 0.8 ± 0.8, the conjunctival score was 1.5 ± 1.7; and the Schirmer 1 test value was 8.4 ± 8.2 mm. Among all cases, the fluorescein breakup pattern (FBUPs) was tear-deficiency-type dry eye in 43% of eyes (area 11%, line 32%), and short FBUT-type dry eye in 57% (dimple 31%, spot 10%, random 16%). Conjunctival scores showed significant positive correlations with anti-SS-A and anti-SS-B antibody titers in the primary and secondary Sjogren's syndrome groups.

Conclusion: More than half of the dry eyes associated with autoimmune diseases were short FBUT-type. Patients with autoimmune disease should be aware of dry eye, even without a diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome.