OPHTHALMIC COMPLAINTS AS A CLIMACTERIC SYMPTOM

The menopausal syndrome is characterized by a variety of emotional and physical symptoms of varying intensity. A total of 1287 women who attended the Outpatient Department for Climacteric Symptoms and Osteoporosis Prophylaxis (1st Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Vienna Medical School) constituted the study population. These women, who were seeking relief from various complaints or for prophylactic assessment and treatment, visited the clinic over the period 1988-1989. We placed special emphasis on ophthalmic complaints as evidence of the incipient climacteric period. Of the 430 patients with eye complaints, 98 underwent opthalmological investigation. Within our patient group, we analyzed the incidence and severity of menopausal eye complaints as well as therapeutic responses to hormone replacement therapy on an epidemiological scale. Potential endocrinological factors are discussed.