Purpose To assess the six-month therapeutic profiles of lipid and non-lipid-based artificial tear supplements in managing dry eye disease (DED). Methods Ninety-nine participants fulfilling the TFOS DEWS II diagnostic criteria for DED (64% females; mean ± SD age, 44 ± 16 years) were enrolled in a prospective, multicentre, double-masked, parallel group, randomised controlled trial. Participants instilled

Purpose This systematic review (SR) assessed the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of cell-based therapy to manage limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), a sight-threatening orphan condition most frequently associated with severe chemical or thermal burns. LSCD has historically been treated by transplanting limbal tissue. In 1997, a new treatment, cultured limbal epithelial autografts, was described

Purpose Neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) is caused by damage or disease of the somatosensory nervous system that innervates the cornea and presents with symptoms of pain or persistent unpleasant sensations, such as burning, dryness, or light sensitivity. This retrospective study aims to assess the efficacy and tolerability of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) in refractory NCP patients. Methods Fifty-nine NCP

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the cholesteryl ester (CE) profiles expressed from human meibomian gland epithelial cells (HMGECs) in response to rosiglitazone-induced differentiation to that of normal human meibum. Methods HMGECs were cultured with rosiglitazone (vehicle control, 20 μM, or 50 μM) and fetal bovine serum (FBS, 2% or 10%) for 2 days or 5 days. Following culture, lipid

Purpose This study aimed to uncover novel cell types in heterogenous basal limbus of human cornea for identifying LSC at single cell resolution. Methods Single cells of human limbal basal epithelium were isolated from young donor corneas. Single-cell RNA-Sequencing was performed using 10x Genomics platform, followed by clustering cell types through the graph-based visualization method UMAP and unbiased

Purpose Sleep is an important determinant of health and quality of life. This study aimed to clarify the association between dry eye and sleep quality using a large population-based cohort. Methods 71,761 participants (19–94 yrs, 59.4% female) from the Lifelines cohort in the Netherlands were assessed for dry eye using the Women's Health Study Dry Eye Questionnaire. Sleep quality was evaluated using

Purpose Obstructive Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is one of the leading causes of evaporative dry eye disease. Meibomian glands at the eyelid secrete lipids that prevent evaporation of the aqueous tear film. The pathogenesis of obstructive MGD is incompletely understood to date. Herein, we aim to investigate the pathogenesis of obstructive MGD using murine and human samples with various forms of

Purpose To investigate the expression of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in ocular surface in dry eye disease (DED) and its anti-inflammatory roles and mechanisms, clinically and by experiments in vivo and in vitro. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to detect the expression of PEDF in tears of dry eye patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Using dry eye mouse model

Purpose To investigate sex and age differences in symptoms and signs in a Norwegian clinic-based cohort of patients with dry eye disease (DED). Methods Visitors at the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic were examined using Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire score, tear osmolarity, tear break-up time (TFBUT), ocular surface staining, corneal sensitivity, Schirmer I test, and meibum expressibility

Purpose To characterize the entire rat corneal nerve architecture, the changes that occur with aging, and its sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic fiber distribution. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 1 day to 2 years old) of both sexes were euthanized, and the whole corneas were immunostained with protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5). The specimens were double-labeled with antibodies against calcitonin

Purpose To evaluate any correlation between pterygium laterality and patient handedness. Methods Our study represents a retrospective observational study of a series of consecutive pterygium patients recruited from two centres. Each patient was assessed for their handedness which was compared to the laterality of their presenting pterygium. Patients that possessed bilateral disease comparisons between

Purpose To develop a stromal wound healing model and a reliable scar classification score system that correlates photographic evaluation with changes in the structure and organization of the extracellular matrix. Materials and methods We tested three stromal injury techniques in adult C57BL/6 mice. Technique 1, a lineal partial thickness keratotomy in the horizontal axis. Technique 2, corneal epithelial

Purpose To evaluate the safety and feasibility of injecting allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) into the lacrimal gland (LG) as a treatment of aqueous deficient dry eye disease (ADDE). Methods In this open-label, 5-visit clinical trial (baseline, treatment and weeks 1, 4 and 16) seven subjects with ADDE received one transconjunctival injection of allogeneic ASCs into the LG in

Purpose To report occurrence of cicatrizing conjunctivitis as an extraglandular ocular manifestation of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Methods Medical charts of all patients with SS evaluated at two tertiary ophthalmological referral centers were reviewed. Patients who demonstrated clinical findings of cicatrizing conjunctivitis were included in this review. Patient and disease-related data including

Purpose To examine the relationship between lid margin abnormalities and meibomian gland loss in infrared meibography. Methods This study was a retrospective chart review of 170 patients with dry eye disease. A correlation analysis between eyelid margin abnormalities and meibomian gland dropout in infrared meibography was performed using data from 141 eyes. We graded the following eyelid margin abnormalities:

Local chemotherapy is increasingly used, either in combination with surgery or as monotherapy, for management of ocular tumors. Yet many of the local chemotherapeutic agents used for ocular tumors are cytotoxic drugs that are frequently associated with toxicities in normal ocular tissues. Understanding and managing these side effects are important because they affect treatment tolerability, outcome

Purpose To characterize patients with neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) and describe treatment outcomes. Methods Setting: Two institutional tertiary cornea clinics. Patients: Medical record review of 37 consecutive patients (37 eyes) with NK. Intervention: Management of NK. Main Outcome Measures: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), epithelial defects (ED), re-epithelialization time, number of perforations

Background SARS-CoV-2 is found in conjunctival swabs and tears of COVID-19 patients. However, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 has not been detected in the human eye to date. We undertook this study to analyze the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in human post-mortem ocular tissues. Methods The expression of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was assessed by RT-PCR in corneal and scleral tissues from 33 surgical-intended donors who

Purpose Acyclovir is most commonly used for treating ocular Herpes Keratitis, a leading cause of infectious blindness. However, emerging resistance to Acyclovir resulting from mutations in the thymidine kinase gene of Herpes Simplex Virus −1 (HSV-1), has prompted the need for new therapeutics directed against a different viral protein. One novel target is the HSV-1 Processivity Factor which is essential

Corneal stromal wound healing is a complex event that occurs to restore the transparency of an injured cornea. It involves immediate apoptosis of keratocytes followed by their activation, proliferation, migration, and trans-differentiation to myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts contract to close the wound and secrete extracellular matrix and proteinases to remodel it. Released proteinases may degenerate

Purpose To evaluate the role of transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) activity in menthol-induced cold sensitivity and its qualitative perception in patients with dry eye (DE). Methods This prospective, cross-sectional, comparative study included 52 eyes of 52 subjects (mean age: 66.8 ± 9.2 years; range: 44–86) with a tear break-up time (TBUT) of ≤5 s. The participants were classified into

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic, bilateral, allergic conjunctivitis with episodes of acute exacerbations. Although VKC has a self-limiting course, chronic recurrent inflammation can cause long-term visual impairment due to corneal complications including shield ulcers, infectious keratitis, keratoconus, corneal opacities, and limbal stem cell deficiency. The initial step in the management

Purpose To investigate long-term correlations between Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) testing and dry eye (DE) parameters. Additionally, to evaluate variability in MMP-9 results over time and with anti-inflammatory treatment. Methods Retrospective cohort study of DE patients with equal MMP-9 testing results (positive or negative) in both eyes and a minimum of 6 months of follow up. Our main outcome

Purpose Differences in pain processing and autonomic function among patients have been implicated the development of chronic pain after surgery. This study was designed to evaluate whether pain and autonomic metrics predict severity of chronic dry eye (DE) symptoms after LASIK, as there is increasing evidence that DE symptoms may be manifestations of persistent post-operative ocular pain. Methods Secondary

Purpose While mouse models of dry eye disease (DED) have been developed, studies evaluating the role of the meibomian glands limited by the inability to temporally document changes. In this report we describe the development of a novel mouse transillumination meibography device and assess the ability of this device to detect age-related changes in the meibomian glands of young and old mice. Methods

Purpose To evaluate level of flare in aqueous humor of dry eye disease (DED) and compare it with normal controls. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we compared the anterior chamber flare between 28 patients with DED (the DED group) and 27 normal age- and gender-matched controls (the control group). DED group was divided in Sjӧgren's syndrome dry eye (SDE, n = 10) and non- Sjӧgren's syndrome dry

Purpose Assess epidermolysis bullosa (EB)-related corneal pathology using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and correlate imaging with clinical metrics in EB patients versus age-matched controls. Methods EB patients and controls were recruited during an EB conference (July 2018) and at Tufts Medical Center (June–August 2019). Subjects completed a questionnaire, had best corrected

Purpose To evaluate the prophylactic benefits of lipid-based and non-lipid-based artificial tear lubricants, in dry eye disease, after adverse environmental exposure. Methods Twenty-eight participants with dry eye disease were recruited in a prospective, double-masked, randomised crossover trial. On separate days, participants were randomised to receive a single application of a lipid-containing tear

Digital display use has been accepted to be implicated as a contributing factor for dry eye disease (DED). Abnormal blinking during computer operation, including a reduced blink rate and an incomplete eyelid closure, increased palpebral fissure as consequence of high visualization angles, and meibomian gland dysfunction associated to long-term display use, are behind the increased prevalence of dry

Neurotrophic keratopathy (NK) is a degenerative corneal disease produced by different factors, including infection, trauma, and neurogenesis, that lead to trigeminal nerve damage and impaired corneal sensitivity. Extensive epithelial breakdown, impaired corneal epithelial healing and corneal ulceration, stromal melting, and perforation are main NK features. The proliferation of the corneal epithelium

Human tear is a biological fluid rich in lipids that is increasingly collected in clinical and biological research. The repertoire of small lipids or lipid mediators (often termed eicosanoids or oxylipins) found in human tear provides insight into metabolism of fatty acids and physiology of the ocular surface and Meibomian glands. Disturbances in the tear lipid mediators profile also occur during inflammation

Purpose The long-term success of visual rehabilitation in patients with severe conjunctival scarring is reliant on the reconstruction of the conjunctiva with a suitable substitute. The purpose of this study is the development and investigation of a re-epithelialized conjunctival substitute based on porcine decellularized conjunctiva (PDC). Methods PDC was re-epithelialized either with pre-expanded

Purpose To investigate clinical and inflammatory changes in the ocular surface of insulin-dependent type I diabetic patients. Methods Two hundred and nine eyes of 106 patients with diagnosis of type I diabetes were recruited in a prospective observational study. Ocular surface clinical assessment, corneal sensitivity and tear film stability tests were performed to evaluate ocular surface system function

Keratoprosthesis (KPro) devices have the remarkable ability to restore vision in patients suffering from corneal blindness who are poor candidates for traditional penetrating keratoplasty. However, eyes with KPro can experience various complications, including the development of retroprosthetic membrane (RPM). RPMs reduce visual acuity in patients due to physical obstruction of the visual axis, but

Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) can be considered the leading cause of dry eye disease (DED) and one of the most common ophthalmic disorders found in clinical practice. The growing body of literature provides a substantial amount of information on this condition, but more efforts are needed to better interpret research data and to properly apply them to daily clinical practice., In this article,

Purpose An altered ocular surface microbiota may contribute to the pathophysiology of dry eye disease. The aim of the study was to explore potential differences in microbiota diversity and composition in aqueous tear-deficient dry eye (with and without ocular graft-versus-host disease) compared with controls. Methods Swab samples from the inferior fornix of the conjunctiva were obtained from patients

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the Meibography technique resulting from the use of advanced image analysis methods allowing a quantitative description of the Meibomian gland structures. Many objective measures of gland distortion were previously proposed allowing for user-independent classification of acquired gland images. However, due to the complicated nature of gland deformation

Purpose Mast cells, historically known for their effector function in the induction of allergic diseases, reside in all vascularized tissues of the body in particular proximity to blood and lymphatic vessels. As neighboring sentinel cells to blood vessels, mast cells have been associated with angiogenesis. Here we assess the direct contribution of mast cells to neovascularization at the ocular surface

Importance Obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) can be refractory to medical therapy. Intraductal meibomian gland (MG) probing may offer a potential therapeutic approach for these patients, but no randomized trials have been conducted to date. Objective To assess clinical changes after intraductal MG probing for patients with refractory obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction. Design Randomized

Purpose Neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) is a recently acknowledged disease entity. However, there is no consensus in potential treatment strategies, particularly in patients with a centralized component of pain. This study aims to assess the efficacy and tolerability of the tricyclic antidepressant, nortriptyline, among NCP patients. Methods Patients with clinically diagnosed NCP and a centralized component

Purpose To describe associations between symptoms and signs of dry eye disease (DED) and meibomian gland (MG) morphology. Methods Cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Dry Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) Study. Readers graded MG features in the middle third of upper and lower lids on infrared meibography images. Associations with signs and symptoms of DED were evaluated with adjustment

Purpose Hydrogels derived from decellularized tissues provide superior biocompatibility, tenability and tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Based on the preparation of decellularized porcine cornea (DPC), here we developed an injectable and transparent hydrogel for the regeneration of epithelium and stroma in focal corneal defects. Methods The DPC-derived hydrogel was prepared with

Purpose To examine the diurnal variation of corneal threshold and suprathreshold sensory processing, symptoms, and tear secretion in symptomatic and asymptomatic contact lens (CL) wearers and controls. Methods 26 symptomatic and 25 asymptomatic CL wearers and 15 asymptomatic non-CL wearing controls participated. Cooling thresholds, symptoms and tear meniscus height (TMH) were measured on each of 3

Purpose Report the efficacy of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive (CTA) application in the management of corneal thinning and perforations associated with microbial keratitis. Methods A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent CTA application for corneal thinning and perforation secondary to microbiologically proven infectious keratitis between 2001 and 2018 at a single center. We defined

Purpose To describe the etiological causes and clinical profile of dry eye disease (DED) among children and adolescents seeking eye care in India. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 1023 new patients (≤21 years of age) diagnosed with DED presenting between 2010 and 2018 to a multi-tier ophthalmology hospital network. Children and adolescents with both symptoms and signs of dry eyes were considered

Background and objective To describe four cases of recurrent, fleeting corneal epithelial lesion, migratory serpiginous corneal epitheliopathy (MSCE). Method Description of cases, histopathology and discussion of treatment outcome. Results The study included 4 consecutive male patients; mean age was 21.25 years. Only one eye was affected. The common symptoms were irritation and tearing. Typical interpalpebral

Purpose To characterize and predict the clinical and tear molecular response of contact lens (CL) wearers exposed to a controlled adverse desiccating environment (CADE). Methods Objective and subjective variables and tear cytokine levels were evaluated of monthly silicone hydrogel CL wearers pre- and post-90 min of CADE exposure. Unsupervised hierarchical agglomerative clustering based on relative

Introduction Here we study the impact of using either CO2 gas or cervical dislocation (CD) for euthanasia and using different techniques to enucleate the eye on preserving axonal density and morphology of the intraepithelial corneal nerves (ICNs). Objectives To determine whether using CO2 gas or CD for euthanasia and enucleating by cutting or pulling eyes out impacts axon density and nerve terminal

Purpose To assess the prevalence of dry eye disease, aqueous tear deficiency, meibomian gland dysfunction, and asymptomatic ocular surface disease in a population-based cohort of 45-year-old New Zealand men and women. Methods This cross-sectional study of 885 participants (442 females, 443 males) was based on a population-representative birth cohort of individuals born between April 1 1972 and March

Purpose To estimate the prevalence and determine risk factors for dry eye disease (DED) in geographically diverse regions of India. Method A population based cross-sectional study was conducted on people aged ≥40 years in plain, hilly and coastal areas. Dry eye assessment by objective [tear film break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer I, corneal staining] and subjective [Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)]

Purpose To evaluate outcomes of Boston keratoprosthesis (KPro) repair versus repeat KPro as treatment for corneal melt in KPro patients. Methods Retrospective study of adult KPro patients with melt managed by KPro repair or repeat KPro by one surgeon (MH-D). Incidence of sight- or globe-threatening complications, risk of recurrence of melt and change in BCVA before and 3 months after the procedure

Purpose To investigate the impact of ageing on ocular surface parameters, and empirically determine optimal prognostic cut-off ages for clinical markers of dry eye disease, aqueous tear deficiency, and meibomian gland dysfunction. Methods A total of 1331 community residents (785 females, 546 males; mean ± SD age, 38 ± 19 years) were recruited in a prospective registry-based cross-sectional study. Dry

Purpose To examine the retention rates and efficacy of silicone punctal plugs for the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) in patients with ocular graft-versus-host-disease (oGVHD) in comparison to dry eye disease due to non-oGVHD etiologies. Methods We reviewed the case-records of 864 consecutive patients with DED who were symptomatic despite topical therapy and had silicone punctal plugs placed over

Purpose To validate an animal model of corneal stromal opacity by using objective vision-independent in vivo imaging metrics. Methods This was a prospective study, with two arms: (i) observational human arm which included 14 patients with healed unilateral ulcerative keratitis; and (ii) experimental rabbit arm, which included 6 New Zealand white rabbits. A 3-mm central wound was created in the left

Purpose Dry eye disease (DED) is a common and multifactor-induced autoimmune ocular surface disease. Environmental factors, such as desiccating stress (DS) and hyperosmolarity, affect the corneal epithelium to induce ocular surface inflammation in DED. We aimed to explore the potential mechanisms by which innate immunity and pyroptosis are initiated in the mucosal epithelium in response to environmental

Purpose To date, there are many theories about tear transport through the canaliculi of the draining lacrimal system into the lacrimal sac but only few with supportive data. It is certain that the function of the lacrimal part of orbicularis oculi muscle (Horner-Duverney's muscle) is indispensable for the transport of “used” tears. However, the muscle's exact structure and the mechanisms of its functions