Pyridostigmine Bromide Pills and Pesticides Exposure as Risk Factors for Eye Disease in Gulf War Veterans

To examine associations between the pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pill and/or pesticide exposure during the 1990–1991 Gulf War (GW) and eye findings years after deployment. A cross-sectional study of South Florida veterans who were deployed on active duty during the GW Era (GWE). Information on GW exposures and ocular surface symptoms were collected via standardized questionnaires and an ocular surface examination was performed. Participants underwent spectral domain–ocular coherence tomography (SD-OCT) imaging that included retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), and macular maps. We examined for differences in eye findings between individuals exposed versus not exposed to PB pills or pesticides during service. A total of 40.7% (n = 44) of individuals reported exposure to PB pills and 41.7% (n = 45) to pesticides; additionally, 24 reported exposure to both in the GW arena. Demographics were comparable across groups. Individuals exposed to PB pills reported higher dry eye (DE) symptoms scores (the 5-Item Dry Eye Questionnaire, DEQ-5: 9.3 ± 5.3 vs. 7.3 ± 4.7, p = 0.04) and more intense ocular pain (average over the last week: 2.4 ± 2.6 vs. 1.5 ± 1.8, p = 0.03; Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory modified for the Eye (NPSI-E): 18.2 ± 20.0 vs. 10.8 ± 13.8, p = 0.03) compared to their non-exposed counterparts. DE signs were comparable between the groups. Individuals exposed to PB pills also had thicker OCT measurements, with the largest difference in the outer temporal segment of the macula (268.5 ± 22.2 μm vs. 260.6 ± 14.5 μm, p = 0.03) compared to non-exposed individuals. These differences remained significant when examined in multivariable models that included demographics and deployment history. Individuals exposed to pesticides had higher neuropathic ocular pain scores (NPSI-E: 17.1 ± 21.1 vs. 11.6 ± 12.9, p = 0.049), but this difference did not remain significant in a multivariable model. Individuals exposed to PB pills during the GWE reported more severe ocular surface symptoms and had thicker OCT measures years after deployment compared to their non-exposed counterparts.