Thyroid Abnormality and Dry Eye Syndrome: a Cross-sectional Study from the Republic of Korea

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between thyroid abnormality and dry eye syndrome (DES) in a nationally representative Korean population. Methods: A population-based prospective cross-sectional study was conducted, using the thyroid abnormality data set of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010 - 2012. A total of 16,966 Korean participants with DES were enrolled in the study. Results: The DES patients were predominantly women, non-smokers and non-drinkers, living in urban regions, with a low income and body mass index (BMI), and with a higher percentage of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, thyroid abnormalities, thyroid diseases, and thyroid cancers. After adjusting for all significant variables, thyroid abnormality (odds ratio [OR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43-2.61), thyroid disease (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.37-2.52), and thyroid cancer (OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.06-5.67) were significantly associated with DES. There was also a significant association between DES and thyroid abnormalities (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.47-2.76), thyroid diseases (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.41-2.65), and thyroid cancer (OR, 2.62; 95% CI, 1.06-6.62) in the female group, but there was no significant association in the male group. Conclusions: Thyroid abnormalities, thyroid diseases, and thyroid cancers were associated with DES in a nationally representative Korean population. Close evaluation of thyroid abnormalities is therefore needed when treating female patients.