Human tear film fluid offers tremendous potential as a non-invasive diagnostic fluid. However, the use of tear fluid in diagnostic medicine is limited owing to non-standardized collection methodologies and low volume availability. We present a first-reported microfluidic tear fluid biomarker assay which will serve as a foundation for both rapid biomarker validation and point-of-care ocular diag...

PURPOSE To evaluate changes in the tear meniscus area and tear meniscus height over time in patients with dry eye syndrome, using anterior segment spectral-domain optical coherence tomography after the instillation of 3% diquafosol ophthalmic solution. METHODS Sixty eyes from 30 patients with mild to moderate dry eye syndrome were included. Tear meniscus images acquired by anterior segment sp...

PURPOSE To investigate the differentiation of conjunctival epithelium and tear film function in pingueculae. METHODS Twelve patients (12 eyes) who underwent simple excision for pingueculae were enrolled in the study. Immunostaining for K14, K19, K10, MUC5AC, Pax6, P63, Ki67, and K16 was performed on the pinguecula epithelium and normal conjunctival epithelium. Schirmer I test results and tear...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine ocular surface and tear film, contact lens, care solution, medical, and patient-related factors that are associated with corneal staining in contact lens wearers. METHODS In this cross-sectional/nested case-control study, in addition to the assessment of corneal staining with fluorescein, a variety of tear film and ocular surface, contact lens,...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether an association between keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) and meibomian gland lipids exists in patients with chronic blepharitis. METHODS Meibomian gland lipids were collected from normal patients and those with chronic blepharitis. Some of the chronic blepharitis patients had an ocular surface abnormality with apparent aqueous deficiency similar to KCS. Lipids we...

BACKGROUND Allgrove's 4A syndrome determines ocular surface changes. This is the first report providing an up-to-dated analysis of the ocular surface in an affected patient. CASE PRESENTATION An 18-years-old male Caucasian patient, with a complex progressive gait disorder and adrenal insufficiency, was referred for ophthalmic evaluation, as part of the clinical assessment. He underwent the fo...

AIMS To evaluate the role of 17-β-oestradiol, oestrone and total testosterone (TT) deficiency in the pathogenesis of severe evaporative dry eye syndrome (DES), investigating the relationship between tear osmolarity, tear film break-up time (TF-BUT), Schirmer test and serum sex hormones in postmenopausal women. METHODS 44 postmenopausal women were recruited for a case-control study: 22 women w...