Dry eye findings worsen with anticholinergic therapy in patients with urge incontinence.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To evaluate the effects of oral anticholinergic (OAC) drugs on tear secretion in women with overactive bladder over a 3-month follow-up period. METHODS: In this prospective study, 108 women with a diagnosis of overactive bladder were evaluated. All patients were examined ophthalmologically at baseline (day 0), and after 1 month (day 30) and 3 months (day 90) of OAC treatment. Tear film break-up time (BUT) and Schirmer 1 test results were recorded. The subjective complaints of the patients including dry mouth, and burning, dryness and foreign body sensation in the eyes, were also recorded. The chi-squared test or the paired sample t test as appropriate, was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 51.8 ± 9.2 years (30 - 69 years). The most frequent subjective complaints were dry mouth and dry eyes and both complaints were significant on both day 30 and day 90. Both tear film BUT and Schirmer 1 test results were significantly lower on day 30 and day 90. Dry eye measurement values worsened with prolongation of OAC treatment (p = 0.037 and p = 0.012 for BUT, and p = 0.046 and p = 0.035 for Schirmer 1 test, on day 30 and day 90, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: OAC treatment in women with overactive bladder significantly and progressively affects tear secretion.