Dry Eye Disease Is More Prevalent in Children with Diabetes than in Those without Diabetes.

Purpose: To compare the prevalence of dry eye disease between children with and without diabetes, and analyze the factors associated with dry eye disease in children with diabetes.Materials and methods: 38 children with diabetes were selected as cases, and 40 children without diabetes constituted the control group. The prevalence of dry eye disease in both groups was statistically analyzed. Related factors of dry eye disease were analyzed in children with diabetes.Results: The prevalence of dry eye disease in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < .01), with the attributable proportion among the exposed (0.827) and the population attributable fraction (0.700). Univariate analysis showed that the diabetes duration, best-corrected visual acuity, corneal sensation, and levels of glycosylated hemoglobin were associated with dry eye disease in children with diabetes. Logistic regression analysis revealed that only diabetes duration and corneal sensation were independent factors associated with dry eye disease. The diabetes duration was significantly higher and the level of corneal sensation was significantly lower in subjects with dry eye disease than in those without dry eye disease.Conclusions: Early screening and close follow-up of dry eye disease in children with diabetes should be strictly implemented, especially in children with a long duration of diabetes and those with peripheral neuropathy.