Alopecia Areata and Dry Eye

Background There is paucity of studies reporting tear film changes and ocular surface pathologies in AA patients. Aim and Objectives This study aims to evaluate anterior segment changes in alopecia areata patients and compare them with healthy individuals. Materials and methods Total of 34 patients were enrolled for study with a mean age of 24.567.82 years. Schirmers test, Tear film Break Up Time (TBUT), Tear meniscus height and Optical surface disease Index (OSDI) Questionnaire were performed to assess tear film changes. Pachymetry, keratometry and slit examination to detect any corneal involvement was also done. Results Asymptomatic punctate lenticular opacities were found in 12 (35.3 %) cases and 2 (5.8 %) controls. Mean values of schirmer test (in mm) was 18.5910.15 in cases and 22.769.73 in controls with p=0.23 while mean values of TBUT ( in seconds) was 9.595.49 in cases and 17.765.98 in controls with p=0.002. Dry eye was found in 15 (44.11 %) cases and 6 (17.6 %) controls with a p value 0.03, thus statistically significant. Conclusion Alopecia areata strikes hair and Meibomian gland and spares out lacrimal gland.