OPHTHALMIC DISEASES IN BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE DEMENTIA

Ophthalmologic examinations were performed on the 176 eyes of 88 bedri dden patients with severe dementia. There were some pathologic changes in the external and anterior segments of 93 eyes. We observed infecti ous external and anterior segment eye diseases in 80 of these 93 eyes (86.0%). Fundus diseases were found in 34 eyes, but treatment was not necessary. Infectious eye diseases appeared to be the most prevalent o cular problem in these patients. Cultures of conjunctival swabs common ly demonstrated Staphylococcus aureus. No differences were noted in te ar secretion rate or lysozyme concentrations in tears between eyes wit h and without infection. The blinking frequency was significantly redu ced in infected eyes compared to normal eyes. Failure of the lacrimal drainage system was observed more often in infected eyes than in norma l eyes. This study demonstrated that bedridden patients with severe de mentia develop infectious eye diseases easily, to which stasis of tear flow seems to predispose. In caring for bedridden patients with sever e dementia, ophthalmologists must be concerned with controlling infect ious eye diseases.