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A new study has identified “important risk factors that might relate to an underlying aetiology involving chronic pain predisposition or somatisation” in women with dry eye disease.

Researchers enrolled 3,824 female twins from the UK aged between 20 and 87 years of age. Of these, 9.6 per cent had diagnosed dry eye disease and used artificial tears; 20.8 per cent had experienced symptoms in the past three months. The condition affected several activities including watching television, driving and computer work, and was typically experienced with low humidity and air conditioning.

Several factors significantly increased the risk of dry eye disease, including asthma (OR 1.54 for diagnosed cases), eczema (OR 1.48), any allergy (OR 1.42), cataract surgery (OR 1.69), rheumatoid arthritis (OR 1.38), osteoarthritis (OR 1.35), migraine (OR 1.47) and thyroid problems (OR 1.61).

The strongest links emerged with depression (OR 1.67), pelvic pain (OR 1.86), irritable bowel syndrome (OR 2.24) and chronic widespread pain syndrome (OR 2.13).

“Besides confirming some well-known risk factors, this study has found new associations of dry eye disease, raising the possibility that altered pain perception and psychological and somatisation factors influence dry eye disease and its symptomatology,” the authors comment.