Prevalence and features of the clinical course of dry eye syndrome in children with chronic dermatoses

Purpose. To study the possible presence and features of the clinical course of dry eye syndrome (DES) in children of various ages with chronic dermatoses. Material and methods. 50 patients aged 4 to 17 years were examined. The criteria for their inclusion in the study were the presence of a verified diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (in the acute stage) (40 children) or ichthyosis (vulgar and congenital) (10 children). Severity of subjective discomfort, condition of the ocular surface, production and stability of the pre-corneal tear film were evaluated in all patients. Results. Clinical and functional signs of DES (mainly due to dysfunction of the meibomian glands) were noted in 26 children (65%) with atopic dermatitis and in 9 (90%) with ichthyosis. At the same time, in children with chronic dermatoses, DES occurred mainly in mild and moderate forms. There were no statistically significant differences in the manifestation of clinical signs of DES between the groups of patients with atopic dermatitis and ichthyosis. Conclusion. The data obtained showed the need for a targeted examination of patients with chronic dermatoses, detection, and treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction and associated dry eye syndrome. Key words: dry eye syndrome; dysfunction of the meibomian glands; chronic dermatoses; atopic dermatitis; ichthyosis