Comparison the frequency of dry eye syndrome in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis with healthly people in Zahedan

Dry eye syndrome is one of the most commn eye infections involvements. Dry eye syndrome increases the risk of eye infections and impairs the aye vision accuracy. Various studies have shown different conclusions about the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and dry eye syndrome. It seems that one of the causes of these differences is related to regional climate differences. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of dry eye disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared with healthy individuals in hot and dry weather areas and prevalence of dry eye syndrome in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis.

In this case - control in this study include: control study، 60 Nfrmbtla rheumatoid arthritis and 60 healthy subjects who were homogenized from age and sex were included in this study and their well being، clinical brshrh Schirmer test، tear meniscus، fluorescein، and tears were evaluated. In patients who were positive for one or more of these tests dry eye syndrome was diagnosted. Data were enalyzed using chi-square test.

From 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis 32 (53%) had definite dry eye syndrome and 15 patients (25%) had prolable dry eye syndrome. In the control group، 6 patients (10%) had dry eye syndrome and there was a significant differences between thise two in the presence of dry eye syndrome (P<0. 01)

This study showed a significant correlation between dry eye syndrome and rheumatoid Arthritis.