Prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease among University Students in Bangkok, Thailand

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) and its associated risk factors among Thai university students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using an electronic survey was conducted in two Rajabhat universities in Bangkok, Thailand. The woman’s health study questionnaire was used to determine students with DED. The prevalence of DED along with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Logistic regression model was used to identify the associated risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 4,111 university students joined and completed the survey questionnaires. Mean age was 18.8 ± 1.1 years with female predominance (2874 students, 69.91%). Clinically diagnosed DED was reported in 136 students (3.31%), while severe symptoms of eye dryness and irritation were reported in 227 students (5.52%). The prevalence of DED among Thai university students was 8.15% (95% CI 7.33% to 9.02%). History of contact lens use and high screen time (> 8 hours per day) were reported in 868 students (21.11%) and 2101 students (51.11%), respectively. Male gender, contact lens use and high screen time were significantly associated with higher risk of DED with the adjusted ORs (95% CI) of 1.39 (1.09, 1.77), 2.49 (1.96, 3.17), and 1.43 (1.14, 1.80), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DED is not rare among Thai university students. Contact lens use and high screen time are two significant modifiable risk factors of DED in our students. These findings can raise awareness of DED in youth population and provide valuable information for public health promotion in university students.