ocular surface health affects the quality of life of the elderly

Purpose: To examine the association of ocular surface health with the quality of life (QoL) in a population‐based cohort of older people. Methods: This cross‐sectional study included 601 subjects born between years 1933–1956 and living in Savitaipale, Finland. Various ocular surface health parameters were evaluated, including Schirmer's I test, non‐invasive tear break‐up time (NIBUT), corneal and conjunctival staining, conjunctival redness, blepharitis, Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). For QoL measurements 15D, Medical Outcomes Study 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey (MOS SF‐36), and Beck's Depression Inventory. (BDI‐II) were used. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the effects of ocular surface health on QoL. Results: OSDI scores affected majority of the MOS SF‐36 scales as well as 15D and BDI‐II scores ( p < 0.05). BDI score worsened with increasing corneal and conjunctival staining and MGD scores ( p = 0.004, p = 0.001, and p = 0.03, respectively). Physical and emotional health‐associated role limitations increased with increased conjunctival redness ( p = 0.007 and p = 0.005, respectively). In addition, emotional well‐being was affected by conjunctival redness, blepharitis, MGD, and NIBUT ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: The symptoms experienced by the participants affect various aspects of well‐being according to our results. Of the ocular surface signs, the ocular surface tissue defects appear to play more significant role in worsening of the general health‐related QoL, whereas the aqueous deficiencies alone do not. The health of ocular surface is an important factor of the QoL and merits to be taken account in clinical assessment of people and these symptoms should be treated accordingly.