Relationship between Dry Eye Syndrome and Hormone Replacement Therapy in Postmenopausal Women

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: An investigation was carried out into the relationship between dry eye syndrome and hormone replacement therapy(HRT) in postmenopausal women METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of the symptomatic differences between 100 and 25 postmenopausal women suffering from dry eye symptoms who had either undergone, or not, HRT, respectively. RESULTS: The average total time period of HRT in 57 of the patients was 41.4months, (ranging form 2 to 180 months) in 57 patients. 16 patients had received an estrogen only regimen, and 41 a combination therapy, consisting of both estrogen and progesterone. The Schirmer test results and the tear film break-up times(BUT) in these two groups were 7.29 +/- 4.29 and 6.59 +/- 4.64 mm, and 5.00 +/- 2.47 and 4.95 +/- 2.35 seconds, respectively. No significant difference in the results was found between the two groups. The Schirmer test and BUT results in the HRT patients averaged 6.75 +/- 4.50 mm, and 4.95 +/- 2.37 seconds, respectively. The results showed a statistically significant decrease (p<0.05) for the non-HRT patients, with Schirmer test and BUT results of 11.73 +/- 7.09 mm, and 8.65 +/- 4.50 seconds, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The total time period and the type of HRT regimen had no influence on the severity of the dry eye symptoms in postmenopausal women. However, when compared to non-HRT patients, the degree of symptomatic manifestations showed statistically significant increases. Further observations and follow-up on these subjects should be pursued.