ABSTRACT
Purpose : Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) has been increased during the pandemic, as a result of wearing masks using electronic devices and working remotely. During COVID-19, we conducted a survey to determine the prevalence of dry eye syndrome. Methods : This is a cross-sectional study to determine how frequent DES is during COVID19 in healthy patients in the United States between the ages of 20 and 45. From October 31, 2021, to December 1, 2021, we administered an Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire remotely to 40 subjects. The OSDI survey was used to assess DES. Results : Subjects had a mean age of 29 years old ± SD 14.14 and 23 of them were males (57.5%), and 17 were females (42.5%). Low DES, moderate DES, and severe DES had a prevalence rate of 15%, 77.5 %, and 7.5 %, respectively, according to the OSDI Survey. 50 % are White, 35 % are African Americans, 7.5 % are Asian, and 7.5% are Hispanic. The prevalence of mild DES during COVID is 77.5%, with 64.50 % of males and 35.50% of females. Conclusions : The prevalence rate of DES during COVID is high which contribute to the fact of wearing the mask, the use of electronic devices and working remotely.