Tear immunoglobulins in external eye diseases

The role of tear immunoglobulins [Ig's] in the normal physiology of the eye and pathogenisis of various eye diseases has been under investigation. Estimation of tear immunoglobulins in 7 normal cases and in 31 cases suffered from, mucopurulant conjunctivitis, phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis, vernal conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers were performed using the "Single radial immunodiffusion technique]. Studies of tear Ig's have established the predominance of IgA class over the others. The average normal IgA was 30.8 mg%, lgG was absent and IgM was detected in one sample [less than 10.0 mg%]. In external eye diseases IgA was reduced, whereas IgA appeared to be less than 10.0 mg% and IgM was only high in phlyctenular dilsease [138.18 mg%]