Abstract

Dr. Dimple Shakeet* and Dr. Shakti Krishan Rajguru

ABSTRACT

Background: Dry eye disease is a well-known side effect of antipsychotic therapy which is often neglected due to nonspecific symptoms. Therefore, this study is to analyse dry eye prevalence in patients on chronic antipsychotic therapy. Methods: This was hospital based cross-sectional study conducted at department of opthalmology. 50 patients who were diagnosed of schizophrenia and have been under anti-pschyotic were included. 50 healthy subjects who have statistically similar demographic features compared with the cases, were involved as a control group. Dry eye was to be diagnosed on the basis of Schirmer's test and TBUT (tearfilm breakup time) Results-16 out of 50 patients on chronic anti-psychotic therapy had dry eye disease. 4 patients were present unilateral dry eye. Maximum 12 (42.86%) eyes out of 28 eyes diagnosed with dry eye had Grade 2 dry eye disease. 50% of the patients found to have dry eye disease were on treatment with anti-psychotic agents for more than 10 years. Prevalence of dry eye was more common (12out of 19 patients) in patients taking two drug combination. The Schirmer test showed thickness of 3.21 ± 0.68 mm and 14.20 ± 1.45 mm in groups cases and control respectively. The blink rate were observed 4-8 per minute in patients on a anti-psychotic therapy. There was a statistically significant difference in the Schirmer test and blink rate between the two groups. Conclusion: Anti psychotic drug may induce dry eye syndrome and thus may lead to morphological alterations in corneal parameters through its anticholinergic and antidopaminergic activities.