Introduction Urea secreted in the sweat is important for skin moisture. Similarly, ocular surface moisture is maintained by the conjunctiva. Based on this, the level of urea in tear film can be used as a potential diagnostic test for dry eye disease (DED). One of the standard tests for DED is Schirmer's test (ST). The aim of this study was to compare tear film urea to values of ST. Methods Fifty patients symptomatic for DED having ST ≤ 10 mm/5 min were enrolled in the study. Fifty age- and sex-matched asymptomatic subjects with ST > 10 mm/5 min were taken as controls. All patients were subjected to an estimation of tear film urea, collected using micropipettes, and analyzed by an Erba Chem 5 semi-autoanalyzer. Based on the ST reading as per the Dry Eye Workshop 2007 (DEWS) classification, dry eye was classified as dry eye (≤ 10 mm/5 min), severe dry eye (≤ 5 mm/5 min), and very severe dry eye (≤ 2 mm/5 min). Tear film urea values were compared with ST values that were considered standard. Statistical analysis was done using Medcalc version 19.7. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results The mean tear film urea levels in cases were (26.78 ± 5.70 mg/dL) significantly lower compared with controls (41.72 ± 6.86 mg/dL). The area under the receiver characteristic operator curve (AUC) for tear film urea in diagnosing DED was 0.936 (p < 0.0001) with a cutoff of ≤ 37.2 mg/dL, yielding a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 76%. For diagnosing severe DED, the AUC for tear film urea was 0.824 (p < 0.0001) with a cutoff value of ≤ 23.4 mg/dL, yielding a sensitivity of 60.8% and a specificity of 92.59%. For diagnosis of very severe DED, the AUC for tear film urea was 0.972 (p < 0.0001) with a cutoff value of ≤ 19.8 mg/dL, yielding a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 93.62%. On comparing ST values to tear film urea, the regression coefficient was 0.85 (p < 0.0001), suggesting a linear relationship between ST and tear film urea. Conclusion The study demonstrates that tear film urea can be a potential diagnostic marker for DED. The study also indicates that tear film urea level is linearly related to Schirmer's test values and provides an approximate diagnostic cutoff level for the design of future large-scale studies.
Aim To estimate the prevalence of ocular morbidity among primary school children in Delhi area. Materials and methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study was conducted among primary school children of age group 5–12 years in Delhi area. A total of 1,100 school-going children were evaluated. After questionnaire administration, visual acuity, examination of anterior and posterior segment structures of the eyes of the children were carried out. For the statistical analysis, children were divided into three groups: group I (5–7 years), group II (8–10 years), and group III ((<12 years) based on age. Results A total of 1,100 school children (625 boys and 475 girls) participated in the study. A total of 282 (25.6%) children had visual impairment and 315 (28.6%) children had ocular morbidities. The common ocular morbidities identified were refractive error 25.6%, color vision defective 0.9%, convergence defect 1.8%, and squint 0.2%. The older age group (8–10 years) had a higher prevalence of refractive error, especially myopia, compared to the younger age group (5–7 years) and group ((<12 years) (p < 0.001). Conclusion A high prevalence of ocular morbidity among school children of age group 8–10 years was observed. Refractive errors were the most common ocular disorders. This study emphasized that a simple school visual screening program is effective for the early detection of ocular problems. How to cite this article Reddy S, Velamakanni GS, Mogra S. Prevalence Study of Ocular Morbidity among Primary School Children in Delhi Area. J Med Acad 2020;3(2):43–45.
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