RÉSUMÉ
Background Instability of tear film,increase of ocular surface temperature and tear evaporation are the associated factors of both bubbles and dry eye.But the relationship between dry eye and ocular surface bubbles is unclear.The bubbles are easily retained and checked in the inferior conjunctiva fornix.Objective This study aimed to study the relationship between dry eye and bubbles in the inferior conjunctiva fornix.Methods Sixty-four eyes of 32 patients with binocular irritative symptoms and bubbles or without bubbles in the inferior conjunctiva fornix were collected in Affiliated Tianyou Hospital of Wuhan University of Science and Technology from January to May,2012.The bubbles in the inferior conjunctiva fornix were examined by slit lamp microscope,and the break-up time (BUT) and Schirmer Ⅰ test (S Ⅰ t) were performed.The differences of BUT and S Ⅰ t between the two groups were compared using independent sample t test,and abnormality rate of examination indexes was statistical analyzed by CHI-Square test using a SPSS 11.5 software.Written informed consent was obtained prior to the clinical survey.Results In the 64 eyes of the bubbles group,incidence of dry eye was 75.00％,and the incidence of both BUT＜5 seconds and S Ⅰ t＜5 mm/5 minutes was 46.88％ ;while the incidence of BUT＜5 seconds or S Ⅰ t＜5 mm/5 minutes was 53.13％ and 57.81％,respectively.In 64 eyes without bubbles,incidence of dry eye was 31.25％,the incidence of both BUT＜5 seconds and S Ⅰ t＜5 mm/5 minutes was 18.75％,that of BUT＜5 seconds or S Ⅰ t＜5 mm/5 minutes was 21.88％ and 20.31％,respectively.The incidences of dry eye,both BUT＜5 seconds and S Ⅰ t＜5 mm/5 minutes,BUT ＜5 seconds,S Ⅰ t＜5 mm/5 minutes were significantly higher in the bubbles group than those of the without bubbles group (all at P=0.00).In the 68 eyes determined as dry eyes,48 eyes (48/68) were in the bubbles group and 20eyes (20/68) were in the without bubbles group,showing a significant difference between the two groups (x2 =24.60,P＜0.01).The incidences of both BUT＜5 seconds,S Ⅰ t＜5 mm/5 minutes were not significantly different between the two groups (x2 =0.01,P=0.95;x2 =1.06,P=0.30).Conclusions The bubbles in the inferior conjunctiva fornix is highly correlated with dry eye.