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Vitiligo with ocular involvement associated with dry eye
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Periocular involvement in vitiligo may make patients more susceptible to dry eye than those with vitiligo without ocular involvement, according to a study.
A single-center, cross-sectional observational study looked at 25 eyes of 25 patients with vitiligo with ocular involvement, 30 eyes of 30 patients with vitiligo but without ocular involvement and 20 eyes of 20 healthy individuals.
All subjects completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) survey. Tear breakup time and osmolarity of tears collected from the inferior lateral tear meniscus were measured.
Those in the two study groups with vitiligo had significantly greater mean tear osmolarity and OSDI scores and lower tear breakup times. Those with vitiligo with ocular involvement had significantly greater tear osmolarity values than those without ocular involvement.
“Patients with vitiligo had symptoms of dry eye but were unaware of a connection between their ocular symptoms and vitiligo,” the study authors wrote. “It is common for patients with vitiligo not to mention ocular symptoms in a dermatology clinic unless they are directly questioned.”
The study suggests dermatologists should be encouraged to assess their vitiligo patients for ocular issues. – by Rebecca L. Forand
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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