Effect of Ocular Dominance on Tear functions in Unilateral Pinguecula

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to find out whether ocular dominance has any effect on tear functions in unilateral pinguecula; and whether these tests differ within the patients. Methods: 63 men and 57 women participated to the study. The groups were: Pinguecula on dominant eye and pinguecula on non-dominant eye. Hole-in-the-card test was used to determine the dominant eye. Patients underwent detailed ophthalmic examination followed by tear Break up Time (BUT), Schirmer test and Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire (OSDI). Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for comparisons between and within groups. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Within the dominant eye group, normal and pinguecula eye BUT and schirmer results were statistically insignificant (p=0.08 and p=0.506). In Non-dominant eye group, normal and pinguecula eye BUT and schirmer results were also statistically insignificant (p=0.58 and p=0.16). The difference between OSDI scores of the Dominant and Non-dominant eye group was insignificant (p=0.579). Between the dominant and non-dominant eye groups, BUT were not statistically different in the eyes with pinguecula (p=0.45) and eyes without pinguecula (p=0.36). Also, between these groups, Schirmer results were not statistically different in the eyes with pinguecula (p=0.36) and eyes without pinguecula (p=0.27). Discussion: Unilateral pinguecula does not cause tear function changes between normal and pinguecula present eyes; and ocular dominance has no effect on tear functions in unilateral pinguecula patients. This is the first study to investigate whether ocular dominance affects tear functions in pinguecula.