Characteristics of Tear Lipid Layer on Tears copy in Dry Eye Symptom and Non-Dry Eye Symptom Group

ABSTRACT

The lipid layer plays a important role in tear film stability. And several studies have reported the differences of lipid layer pattern and tear film break up time between normal and dry eye. To determine the availability of Tearscope(Keeler, UK), we observed the characteristics of lipid layer and compared non-invasive break up time(NIBUT) to invasive break up time(IBUT) in dry eye symptom and non-dry eye symptom group. By questionnaire, we selected the dry eye symptom(94 eyes in 47 persons) and the non-dry eye symptom(112 eyes in 56 persons) group. We observed lipid layer pattern and color by Tearscope, and measured NIBUT of Tearscope and IBUT of fluorescein solution. In the lipid layer, the dry eye symptom group had brown-yellow(about 112 nm) and uneven pattern. But, the non-dry eye symptom group represented amorphous(about 94 nm) and even pattern. In NIBUT, the dry eye symptom group had 9.57+/-11.40sec and the non-dry eye symptom group represented 27.42+/-20.15sec. In IBUT, two groups had 6.38+/-4.45sec and and 13.02+/-8.41sec, respectively. In conclusion, Tearscope is available in diagnosis and treatment in dry eye and also in diagnosis of tear lipid layer disorder.