Dry Eye and its Relationship with Status of Serum Calcium in the Body at a Tertiary Care Institute: A Case Control Study

Background: Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of dryness, grittiness, redness, burning sensation or any discomfort, visual disturbance and tear film instability leading to potential damage to ocular surface. The tear film consists of three layers starting from within outwards mucus, the aqueous layer and the lipid layer. The tear film and ocular surface form a complex and stable system that can lose its equilibrium through numerous disturbing factors. Studies which also involve tests of tear functions including Schirmer’s test, Tear break-up time, Fluorescein staining for determination of dry eye have found generally low prevalence rates.Hence the physiology of tear film and its binding with the eye shows that there is some involvement of serum calcium level with dry eye. The present study encourages us to assess the role of serum calcium level with patients of dry eye. Aims and Objective: To assess the role of calcium with dry eye. Material and Methods: Total 90 subjects (30 cases and 60 controls) who met the selection criteria were included in the study. Serum analysis has been done for calcium level in the body in the patients of dry eye.The study was conducted between August 2014 to November 2016. Results: The lower serum level of calcium was significantly associated with dry eyes in the study. Conclusion: Calcium plays an important role in the causative mechanism of dry eye in the patients of dry eye disease.