Nutrition and Dry Eye

Nutrition and the eye Dry eye and the role of nutrition

which either decreases tear production or increases tear evaporation (Figure 1). Increased tear osmolarity is the link between changes in the lacrimal glands and lids, and disease of the ocular surface. Studies of pre-clinical models of lacrimal gland disease and meibomian gland dysfunction show that the ocular surface changes of dry eye disease are dependent upon and proportional to increases ...

Dry eye and designer ophthalmics.

Expressed sequence tag (EST), proteomic, and antibody capture assays are revealing a level of tear film protein complexity far greater than previously appreciated. A systems biology approach will be needed to fully appreciate function as tear protein doses fluctuate in time through different conditions. Although consensus is growing on what fully constitutes the human tear proteome, questions r...

Hormones and Dry Eye Disease

Dry eye disease (DED) is a very prevalent eye disorder, affecting 40 million people in the United States alone. The primary cause of DED is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) [1], which by itself is a disease entity. The meibomian gland is a large sebaceous gland located in the tarsal plate of the eye lids. It functions to synthesize and secrete lipids onto the ocular surface. These lipids make ...

Dry eye, blinking, and blepharospasm.

The primary purpose of the eyelids is to ensure corneal integrity. An important component of this protective function is maintaining the corneal tear film. Blink characteristics can determine tear film stability. Increasing blink amplitude thickens the lipid layer that overlies the aqueous layer of the tear film. This thickening reduces evaporation of the aqueous layer. Because each blink refor...

Cataract Surgery and Dry Eye