Dry eye disease: A longitudinal study among pregnant women in Enugu, south east, Nigeria

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the course and prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) across different trimesters among pregnant women in Enugu, South East, Nigeria. Methods: A prospective longitudinal study design was used. Pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, were consecutively recruited in their second trimester for the study. DED was assessed subjectively using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and objectively using Tear Break-up Time (TBUT) and Schirmer's test. These tests were performed during the second and third tri-mesters and six weeks post-partum. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means of the different parameters. Results: A total of 134 pregnant women participated in the study. The mean age of the women was 30.8 (+/- 5.5) years. There were significant decreases (p < 0.05) in TBUT and Schirmer's values in the third trimester compared to the second trimester and the post-partum period. The highest score on the OSDI (18.6 +/- 6.8) was obtained in the third trimester. The presence of DED was determined using cut-offs for TBUT < 10 s or Schirmer's test < 10 mm and the OSDI >= 13. Both symptoms of OSDI and prevalence of DED increased significantly (p < 0.05) from the second to the third trimester but returned to their lowest values 6 weeks post-partum. Conclusion: The prevalence of DED was highest in the third trimester and lowest 6 weeks post-partum.