Dry eye disease more common in American men as they age

Article

A study conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has found that dry eye disease is common among American men aged more than 50 years, and it increases with age, high blood pressure, occurrence of benign prostate disease, and the use of antidepressants.

Key Points

Boston-A study conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has found that dry eye disease is common among American men aged more than 50 years, and it increases with age, high blood pressure, occurrence of benign prostate disease, and the use of antidepressants,

Debra A. Schaumberg, ScD, OD, MPH, of BWH, and colleagues estimated the prevalence of and examined risk factors for dry eye disease among 25,444 American men who participated in the Physicians' Health Study I and II, according to a statement issued by the hospital.

The men were asked whether they ever had received a dry eye disease diagnosis and whether they had symptoms such as dry or irritated eyes. Overall, 765 men (3%) reported receiving a dry eye diagnosis, 6.8% said they experienced at least one dry eye symptom (dryness or irritation) constantly or often, and 2.2% reported both symptoms constantly or often.

"The present study estimates that approximately 1.68 million men aged 50 or more years are affected with dry eye disease in the United States," the authors wrote. "These data, derived from studying more than 25,000 men, show a significantly lower prevalence of dry eye disease than was found in a similar study using the same methods in U.S. women, among whom the prevalence was estimated at 3.23 million women. Nonetheless, there is a significant increase in the prevalence of dry eye disease with age among men, as is the case among women, and there is a predicted growth to 2.79 million U.S. men affected by dry eye disease in 2030.

"Given the increasing recognition of the adverse visual impact of dry eye disease and the high level of bother patients report because of its irritative symptoms, we hope that these data from a large and well-characterized group of U.S. men will provide further motivation for clinicians and researchers to understand this disease and develop more effective and targeted interventions for patients," they added.

Study results were reported in the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology. The research was supported by National Institutes of Health grants and the Joint Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, according to the statement.

Newsletter

Want more insights like this? Subscribe to Optometry Times and get clinical pearls and practice tips delivered straight to your inbox.

Recent Videos
Reviewing the State of Dry Eye Survey with Selina McGee, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO
Jessilin Quint, OD, MBA, FAAO, outlines her AOA's Optometry's Meeting 2025 presentation on nutrition and its impact on ocular health.
Carolyn Majcher, OD, FAAO, detailed a talk she gave alongside Mary Beth Yackey, OD, at Optometry's Meeting 2025.
Shelby Brogdon, OD, details opportunities for practices to answer the patient's concerns from the chair before they hit the internet for their contact lens needs.
Christi Closson, OD, FAAO, shares her excitement for the new Acuvue Oasys MAX 1-Day multifocal for astigmatism
Karen R. Hoffman, OD, shares how customizable scleral lenses can transform vision for patients with complex corneas, achieving 20/20 outcomes and enhanced comfort.
Janna Pham, OD, shares key takeaways from a corneal tomography session she presented alongside Travis Pfeifer, OD; and Matthew McGee, OD.
Jacob Lang, OD, FAAO, details early symptom relief demonstrated in as early as day 1 during AOA's Optometry's Meeting 2025.
When Langis Michaud, OD, MSc, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA, FEAOO, began fitting scleral lenses 20 years ago, there was limited knowledge about conjunctival characteristics, scleral shape, and lens behavior.
Ioussifova details what sets Johnson & Johnson's new lens apart from the rest, which was launched at the American Optometric Association's Optometry's Meeting 2025.
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.