Status of the tear film in trachoma

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the value and usefulness of the clinical and laboratory diagnostic tests in trachoma, forty three patients [86 eyes] with trachoma cicatrized, trachoma trichiasis and corneal opacities in accordance with the WHO-1987 grading system, Were evaluated for Schirmer's test, tear osmolarity and tear lysozyme level. In the 86 eyes [43 patients] of normal eyes, tear fluid osmolarity was 303.4 +/- 9.1 mOsm.IL. In 86 eyes [43 patients] of trachomatous cases it was 311.9 +/- 12.3 mOsm./L. Tear lysozyme level noted in trachomatous cases was 1.68 +/- 0.81 mg/ml. This value was around normal range [1.5-2.5 mg/mi]. The average value of the Schirmer's test in normal cases was 15.1 +/- 8.9 mm/5 mm., whereas in trachomatous cases it was 11.9 +/- 6.8 mm/5 mm. Because of being correlate decreased Schirmer's test and tear osmolarity in trachomatous cases, it is assumed that the status of tear fluid may only be assessed by tear film osmolarity measurements