A study on factors which affect Dry Eye Syndrome and Eye Health in Filipino and Korean male students

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is that research eye health in Filipino and Korean male students for comparative analysis of prevalence and risk factors. Method: The s ubjects of this study were 196 male s tudents, aged 17, from Korea and the Philippines and it was investigated whether they have dry eye syndrome, subjective symptoms, conjunctivitis, and pterygium or not. The McMonnies questionnaire was used for measuring dry eye syndrome. Subjective symptoms, video display time and sun exposure time were added to the questionnaire items; while conjunctivitis and pterygium were confirmed by visual examination. Results: The average sunlight exposure time per day excluding school hours were 2 hours and 12 minutes for the Filipino students and 1 hour and 1 minute for the Korean students. Sunlight exposure time had a significant effect on the Filipino students with dry eye syndrome, subjective symptoms, conjunctivitis, and pterygium, but multimedia viewing time did not. In contrast, the sunlight exposure time and video display time didn’t effect to Korean students, excluding the scores on the McMonnies questionnaire. The Filipino students had a statistical difference in the occurring frequency of subjective symptoms, conjunctivitis, and pterygium in dry eye syndrome. Also they had the higher the scores on the McMonnies questionnaire and high prevalence of conjunctivitis and pterygium. Conclusion: It was identified that the Filipino students had their sunlight exposure time affecting their eye health, whereas the Korean students didn’t have. And it related to occurring frequency of conjunctivitis and pterygium in case of dry eye syndrome patients. Another analysis needs to be made of other risk factors besides sunlight exposure time analyzed by this study , which may affect the eye health of the Filipino students.