Background: Chronic Fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a relatively newly defined clinical entity that affects multiple systems including the ocular system. These effects have not been well documented.
Methods: 25 consecutive CFS patients were evaluated and the ocular signs and symptoms were described.
Results: Significant ocular symptoms were present in all 25 patients. The most common clinical findings were abnormalities of the preocular tear film and ocular surface (19 patients) and reduced accommodation for age (18 patients).
Conclusions: CFS affects the ocular system in many ways. Eye care practitioners should pay particular attention to accommodative needs, ocular surface disease and tear film dysfunction when examining these patients. Further research into the pathophysiology of these ocular findings may lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of CFS.