Sex/Gender Differences in Dry Eye Disease

Dry eye disease (DED)Dry eye disease (DED) is one of the most frequent diseases seen in ophthalmology clinics and disproportionately affects women. Although the causes and risk factorsRisk factors of DED are diverse, previous studies generally support women as the major risk factor. Biological and hormonalHormonal differences between men and women affect ocular structure, functioning, and health from the molecular level to the physiological observational level. Severe DED can be precipitated by several autoimmune conditions such as Sjögren’s syndromeSjögren’s syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disease, which are generally more prevalent in women than in men. Several studies reported that female patients were more symptomatic than male patients, while signs of DED were not different between the two sexes. Iatrogenic causes and cultural behaviors specific to women also affect the differences. In this chapter, we reviewed previous studies about sex/gender differences in epidemiologyEpidemiology, pathophysiology, associated diseases, external causes, and symptomsSymptoms of DED.