Lacrimal and meibomian gland evaluation in dry eye disease: A mini-review.

Lacrimal and meibomian glands contribute to the aqueous and lipid components of tear film, respectively. Their evaluation remains central to diagnosing and managing dry eye disease (DED). The review discusses the differences and reliability of various diagnostic tests and commercially available devices used for DED diagnosis.

[What is Important in Diagnosing Dry Eye Disease - Recommendations According to current Guidelines (DEWS II, DOG/BVA)].

Dry Eye is one of the most common ocular diseases worldwide with an increasing number of patients. The pathogenesis of this disease is multifactorial and complex and the basis for diagnostic strategies and therapies. The current definition of dry eye disease as described in DEWS II includes inflammatory mechanisms at the ocular surface, a loss of homeostasis, hyperosmolarity of the tear film and neurosensory abnormalities.

Prolactin Inducible Protein, but Not Prolactin, Is Present in Human Tears, Is Involved in Tear Film Quality, and Influences Evaporative Dry Eye Disease.

Purpose: Decreased production of the aqueous component of the tear film is an important cause of the development of dry eye disease (DED). Tear production is influenced by hormones and hormone-like factors. Prolactin (PLR), a multifunctional pituitary gland hormone, is regularly present in the lacrimal gland of rats and rabbits.

The Potential Role of SP-G as Surface Tension Regulator in Tear Film: From Molecular Simulations to Experimental Observations.

The ocular surface is in constant interaction with the environment and with numerous pathogens. Therefore, complex mechanisms such as a stable tear film and local immune defense mechanisms are required to protect the eye. This study describes the detection, characterization, and putative role of surfactant protein G (SP-G/SFTA2) with respect to wound healing and surface activity.

A Water-Free Omega-3 Fatty Acid Eye Drop Formulation for the Treatment of Evaporative Dry Eye Disease: A Prospective, Multicenter Noninterventional Study.

NovaTears+Omega-3 is a water-free eye drop solution with non-animal-derived omega-3 fatty acids. It allows to supplement omega-3 fatty acids directly in the tear film of patients with dry eye disease (DED). This post-market clinical follow-up (PMCF) study evaluated for the first time the effects on clinical signs and patient symptoms of DED, and safety and tolerability of NovaTears+Omega-3 (0.

[Assessment of Langerhans Cells in the Central Cornea as Tool for Monitoring Inflammatory Changes in Patients with Keratoconjunctivitis sicca under Topical Therapy with Cyclosporine A 0.05% Eye Drops].

Background: Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is one of the most common ocular diseases and is associated with a considerable decrease in the quality of life. It is accompanied by symptoms of discomfort, tear film instability, hyperosmolarity of the tear film, inflammation of the ocular surface and neurosensory abnormalities. It is still not clear yet if the density of Langerhans cells in the central cornea can be used for objective evaluation of the inflammation in the tear film and the ocular surface.

[If Artificial Tears Aren't Enough. The Importance of Inflammatory Processes in Dry Eye Disease. Practical Aspects of an Anti-Inflammatory Therapy of Dry Eye Disease].

Dry eye disease (DED) is a heterogenous disease of the ocular surface. Multiple pathogenetic factors are responsible for the disease process, but DED is generally linked to an increase in the osmolarity of the tear film and to inflammation of the ocular surface. The significance of inflammatory processes in DED is highlighted in the most recent definition of dry eye in the Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS).

SFTA3 - a novel surfactant protein of the ocular surface and its role in corneal wound healing and tear film surface tension.

The study aimed to characterize the expression and function of SFTA3 at the ocular surface and in tears. Ocular tissues, conjunctival (HCjE) and human corneal (HCE) epithelial cell lines as well as tearfilm of patients suffering from different forms of dry eye disease (DED) were analyzed by means of RT-PCR, western blot, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA. A possible role of recombinant SFTA3 in corneal wound healing was investigated performing in vitro scratch assays.

Palate Lung Nasal Clone (PLUNC), a Novel Protein of the Tear Film: Three-Dimensional Structure, Immune Activation, and Involvement in Dry Eye Disease (DED).

Purpose: Palate Lung Nasal Clone (PLUNC) is a hydrophobic protein belonging to the family of surfactant proteins that is involved in fluid balance regulation of the lung. Moreover, it is known to directly act against gram-negative bacteria. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible expression and antimicrobial role of PLUNC at the healthy ocular surface and in tears of patients suffering from dry eye disease (DED).

Diagnosis of X-Linked Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia by Meibography and Infrared Thermography of the Eye.

Purpose: X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLHED) is the most common form of ectodermal dysplasia. Clinical characteristics include meibomian gland disorder and the resulting hyperevaporative dry eye. In this study, we evaluated meibography and ocular infrared thermography as novel methods to diagnose XLHED.

Prospective, randomized, controlled comparison of SYSTANE UD eye drops versus VISINE INTENSIV 1% EDO eye drops for the treatment of moderate dry eye.

Purpose: The aim of this prospective, randomized, clinical, single-center study was to compare the safety and efficacy of 2 ocular surface lubricant eye drops: preservative-free hydroxypropyl (HP)-Guar (SYSTANE UD(®)) eye drops versus preservative-free Tamarindus indica seed polysaccharide (TSP) 1% (VISINE INTENSIV 1% EDO(®)) eye drops.

Methods: Fifty-six eyes of 28 patients with moderate keratoconjunctivitis sicca (DEWS severity level 2) were enrolled in the trial. Patients were randomized for 2 treatment groups (SYSTANE UD eye drops vs.

Tear film osmolarity measurements in dry eye disease using electrical impedance technology.

Purpose: Tear film hyperosmolarity is recognized as an important pathogenetic factor in dry eye syndrome, but difficulties in its measurement have limited its utility in the recent past. This prospective, nonrandomized, clinical single-center study investigates the osmolarity in tear samples of patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca compared with healthy controls.

Methods: One hundred thirty-three patients [aged 58 years (51-64 years), 86 women and 47 men] with moderate to severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca and 95 controls [aged 52 years (48-61 years), 55 women and 40 men] were enrolled in the trial.

Evidence of endothelial cell migration after descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty.

Purpose: To investigate the hypothesis that adult corneal endothelial cells can migrate after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).

Design: Prospective observational study.

Methods: Five patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy were examined 1 year after uneventful DMEK.

Corneal limbal microenvironment can induce transdifferentiation of hair follicle stem cells into corneal epithelial-like cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate the transdifferentiation potential of murine vibrissa hair follicle (HF) stem cells into corneal epithelial-like cells through modulation by corneal- or limbus-specific microenvironmental factors. Adult epithelial stem cells were isolated from the HF bulge region by mechanical dissection or fluorescence-activated cell sorting using antibodies to alpha6 integrin, enriched by clonal expansion, and subcultivated on various extracellular matrices (type IV collagen, laminin-1, laminin-5, fibronectin) and in different conditioned media derived from central and peripheral corneal fibroblasts, limbal stromal fibroblasts, and 3T3 fibroblasts. Cellular phenotype and differentiation were evaluated by light and electron microscopy, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, and Western blotting, using antibodies against putative stem cell markers (K15, alpha6 integrin) and differentiation markers characteristic for corneal epithelium (K12, Pax6) or epidermis (K10).

Hepatitis C and ocular surface disease.

Purpose: To assess the frequency of changes in the ocular surface and the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in tear samples of patients with chronic HCV infection.

Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, clinical, interdisciplinary, single-center study.

Methods: Seventy-one patients with previously untreated chronic HCV infection and a control group consisting of 66 patients without systemic HCV infection were enrolled in the trial.

Long-term refractive and visual outcome after penetrating keratoplasty only versus the triple procedure in Fuchs' dystrophy.

Background: Long-term refractive and visual outcome after penetrating keratoplasty (PK) only and the triple procedure in eyes with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy were assessed and compared.

Design: Retrospective, non-randomized, cross-sectional, clinical, single-centre study.

Methods: Ninety-two eyes of 87 patients were divided into two groups.