“DRY EYE” SYNDROME IN THE CHILDREN: CURRENT POSSIBILITIES FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT (THE GUIDELINES FOR PRACTITIONERS)

Purpose. The «dry eye» syndrome in the children occurs much less frequently than in the adults, but it is often diagnosed in the contact lens wearers, the subjects presenting with the computer vision syndrome, and in the children with glaucoma (especially against the background of the instillations of the hypotensive eye drops with a preservative), chronic uveitis, diabetes mellitus, and certain congenital diseases of the eyelids and lacrimal glands. On the one hand, the pathology being considered is very similar in the children and adults in terms of etiology and pathogenesis, but on the other hand, it has a number of peculiar age-related features as regards the clinical course and the modes of treatment of this disease specific for either group of the patients. To begin with, the children very rarely complain about this condition and exhibit the relatively mild objective manifestations of the disorder (xerosis), with the exception of its extremely severe forms. Finally, the specific treatment of the children suffering from the «dry eye» syndrome with the majority of the medications currently available for the purpose is hampered by the age-related limitations whereas they are extensively and successfully used for the treatment of the same condition in the adults. Accordingly, the approaches to diagnostics of the «dry eye» syndrome in the children differ from those in the adults. Specifically, questioning of the children and their parents (to evaluate the complaints and the medical history) is of negligible diagnostic value whereas in the adults this approach provides the most valuable diagnostic information. In addition, it is very difficult to conduct a series of diagnostic tests in the young children due to their restless behavior during the examination. Conclusion. At the same time, there are currently the considerable opportunities for the diagnostics and treatment of the «dry eye» syndrome due to the ready availability of “artificial tear” preparations and stimulators of regeneration as well as the possibility of lacrimal duct obturation. It implies the necessity of the more extensive introduction of these modalities into the pediatric ophthalmological practiced.

«dry eye»syndrome in the children, diagnostics, treatment