India on the Brink of a Dry Eye Disease Epidemic

• For the first time, a large-scale, hospital-based study in India involving over 14.5 lakh patients had found the incidence (number of new cases occurring each year) of dry eye disease to be 21,000 (1.46%).

Key Findings

• With a large ageing population, growing middle-class and chronic nature of the disease, India is on the verge of a dry eye disease epidemic.
• The incidence in urban areas was higher than in rural areas. The prevalence of dry eye disease will be in about 40% of the urban population by 2030.
• Age, urban residence, occupation and socio-economic affluence were found to be high risk-factors for ....