Duration of renal failure as risk factor for conjunctival squamous metaplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess ocular surface changes in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), to compare the results with the duration of illness.


STUDY DESIGN
Impression cytology from 48 patients with CRF on regular hemodialysis and 16 age- and sex-matched control subjects were studied. Specimens were taken from the temporal bulbar conjunctiva using cellulose acetate filter paper.


RESULTS
Among the patients with CRF who were ill for 0-10 years, 25 patients (78.1%) disclosed grade 0-1, and 7 patients (21.9%) disclosed grade 2-3 cytologic changes, whereas in those with the duration of CRF > 10 years, 9 patients (56.2%) had grade 0-1 and 7 patients (43.8%) had grade 2-3 changes. Specimens from the control group revealed 93.8% grade 0-1 and 6.2% grade 2-3 changes (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSION
The ocular surfaces of patients with CRF differ significantly from those of normal individuals, and the severity of conjunctival changes is related to the duration of CRF.