A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON TEARING PATTERN OF PRETERM AND TERM NEONATES IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE AT EASTERN INDIA

Abstract

Background: The preterm and term neonates secret basal and reex tear. The tear deciency can cause various ocular and systemic effects of drugs, used topically. If there is any reduced reex and basal tear secretion then it may mask the diagnosis of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Aims And Objectives: To evaluate basal and reex tear production in preterm (post-conceptional age <37 weeks) and term (post conceptional age ≥37 weeks) neonates. Methods: 60 preterm and 60 term neonates were examined. Tear secretion was evaluated by applying Schirmer test strips at inferior fornix for 5 minutes before (reex plus basal secretion) and after (basal secretion) applying topical anesthetic agent. Results: Mean (± SD) basal tear secretion was 5.76 (±1.44) mm in preterm and 7.73 (±1.87) mm in term neonates. Mean (± SD) reex tear secretion was 7.01 (±1.34) mm in preterm and 12.45 (± 2.28) mm in term neonates. Conclusions: Preterm neonates have reduced reex and basal tear secretion than term neonates. In term neonates tear production is similar to that in adults.