OCULAR SURFACE DISEASE AMONG PATIENTS WITH OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA USING TOPICAL ANTI-GLAUCOMA MEDICATIONS

Objective: To determine the frequency of ocular surface disease among patients with open angle glaucoma using topical antiglaucoma medications presenting at a tertiary care eye hospital. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology, Rawalpindi, from May 2019 to Jan 2020. Methodology: One hundred and eighty patients aged 18 or more, with open angle glaucoma using any of the topical antiglaucoma medications including preparations of dorzolamide, brimonidine, timolol, levobunolol, betaxolol, latanoprost, travoprost, bimatoprost or a combination of these for more than six months took part in the study. Ocular surface disease index was used to assess the presence and severity of ocular surface disease. Results: Out of 180 patients of glaucoma managed with topical anti-glaucoma medications, 83 (46.1%) did not show presence of ocular surface disease when ocular surface disease index was administered. Twenty-nine (16.1%) patients had mild symptoms, 17 (9.4%) had moderate symptoms while 51 (28.3%) patients reported severe symptoms of ocular surface disease. Advancing age and longer duration of treatment with topical anti-glaucoma medications had statistically significant association with the presence of ocular surface disease (p-value <0.05). Conclusion: Presence of ocular surface disease was a common finding among patients using topical agents for the management of glaucoma. Advancing age and prolonged use of anti-glaucoma medication emerged as risk factors statistically related to the presence of ocular surface disease.