Perchloroethylene (PERC) is commonly used as a dry cleaning solvent and is believed to be a human carcinogen, with occupational exposure resulting in elevated rates of kidney cancer. Living near a dry cleaning facility using PERC has been demonstrated to increase the risk of PERC exposure throughout the building where the dry cleaning is conducted, and in nearby buildings. We designed this stud...

INTRODUCTION Orthopedic physical therapists employ a wide range of intervention strategies to reduce patients’ pain and improve function. From time to time, new treatment approaches are being introduced to the field of physical therapy. The arrival of manual therapy in the United States is a good example. Although for several decades, manual physical therapy was already an essential part of the...

PURPOSE To report a case of extrusion of a new soft punctum plug with thermoexpansion property (Medennium SmartPLUG). METHODS A soft punctum plug was implanted in a 32-year-old woman with a severe dry eye syndrome in juvenile arthritis. RESULTS One week after implant the plug partially extruded outside the punctum. Despite this adverse event, all subjective dry eye symptoms improved. CONC...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of topical application of apricot kernel extract (AKE) in a unilateral exorbital lacrimal gland excision mouse model of experimental dry eye. Dry eye was induced by surgical removal of the lacrimal gland. Eye drops containing 0.5 or 1 mg/mL AKE were administered twice a day from day 3 to day 7 after surgery. Tear fluid volume ...

PURPOSE To compare the short term effects of topical 0.05% cyclosporine (CsA) and a mixture of 0.08% chondroitin sulfate and 0.06% sodium hyaluronate (CS-HA) on dry eye ocular surfaces. METHODS 36 patients with moderate to severe dry eye (5 mm/5 min or less with Schirmer's test or tear break up time (BUT) less than 6 seconds), were treated with topical application of CS-HA on one eye and CsA ...

For the diagnosis of dry eye, global criteria are required that recognize a commonality among all forms of dry eye, even though they do not necessarily identify a particular etiology. 1 A dry eye questionnaire2 can serve as a screening instrument with clinic populations and has been shown to be capable of delivering valid sensitivity and specificity information.3 In dry eye research a questionn...

The dynamics of the tear film are reviewed with specific reference to the biophysical aspects: distribution, turnover and elimination through evaporation, drainage, and absorption. The review concentrates on quantitative assessments and is confined to aspects of the dynamics that can be fully and directly measured. The techniques of fluorophotometry, fluorescein clearance, lacrimal scintigraphy...

BACKGROUND To develop the Chinese version of quality of life scale for dry eye patients based on the Impact of Dry Eye on Everyday Life (IDEEL) questionnaire and to assess the reliability and validity of the developed scale. METHODS The original IDEEL was adapted cross-culturally to Chinese language and further developed following standard procedures. A total of 100 Chinese patients diagnosed...