Effect of drug treatment combined with eye health education on senile patients with xerophthalmia

Abstract

Objective To discuss the clinical features of xerophthalmia on elder patients and to evaluate the effect of drug treatment combined with eye health education on the treatment for xerophthalmia.Methods 117 senile patients with xerophthalmia were enrolled and their main syndromes were collected.Tear break up time(BUT),Schirmer Ⅰ test and fluorescein (FL) staining test were used to compare treatment effect before and one month after drug treatment,with and without eye health education.Results The clinical manifestations of senile xerophthalmia included dryness (50.49％),hyperhydration (49.47％),red eye (48.42％),eye fatigue(48.36％) and foreign body sensation(38.14％).Schirmer Ⅰ test,BUT,and FL showed statistical difference among the groups of patients before drug treatment,one month after drug treatment and one month after drug treatment with education (F =836.087,799.500,1132.008,respectively; P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions The clinical features of senile xerophthalmia were dryness,hyperhydration,red eye,etc.Drug treatment was effective on xerophthalmia,but eye health education in addition can further improve the effect. Key words: Drug treatment; Treatment effect; Senile; Eye health education; Xerophthalmia