Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the demand for dry eye disease (DED) lubricating eye drop treatment following refractive surgery among young patients. METHODS: This study involved Israeli adolescents and young adults aged 16-20 years who underwent systematic medical evaluations from 2011 to 2019. Refractive surgery status was determined based on medical records. Lubricating eye drop usage was monitored through computerized dispensation data over a three-year period. Regression models, stratified by sex and adjusted for sociodemographic variables, were used. RESULTS: Among 591,919 individuals (57.4% male, mean age 17.2 years), 4571 (0.8%) underwent refractive surgery. Lubricating eye drop usage was observed in 1.4% of men and 2.3% of women, with higher proportions in the refractive surgery group (4.0% vs. 1.4% and 9.5% vs. 2.3% for men and women, respectively; p < 0.001). Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for increased DED treatment durations in men were 2.34 (95% CI 1.94-2.83) for ≤3 months, 5.22 (95% CI 3.43-7.94) for 3 to 12 months, and 5.79 (95% CI 3.69-9.09) for over 12 months. For women, aORs were 3.68 (95% CI 2.50-5.41) for ≤3 months, 6.06 (95% CI 2.50-14.73) for 3-12 months, and 11.57 (95% CI 4.74-28.25) for over 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Young patients after refractive surgery are significantly more likely to require DED lubricating eye drops for over a year following the procedure.