[The clinical and echographic features of tear in the dry eye syndrome]

The paper presents the results of three-dimensional combined tear ultrasound analysis in various diseases accompanied by the dry eye syndrome. Sixty-five patients with clinical manifestations of the dry eye syndrome were examined. Of them, there were 20 patients with Sjogren's syndrome and disease, 25 with dry eye syndrome of unknown genesis, 5 with lachrymal gland tumorous lesion, 5 with cystic lacrimal gland changes (dacryops), and 10 persons above 65 years of age (a risk group). In each of the study group the study determined the mean sizes of a ultrasound section of the lacrimal gland, its mean volume, and densitometric indices, such as density and vasculogenicity index, as well as the mean values of hemodynamic parameters in the lacrimal artery. The characteristic echographic signs of lacrimal gland structural changes and vascularization are described in Sjogren's disease and syndrome, dry eye syndrome of unknown genesis, dacryops, neoplastic processes involving the lacrimal gland. The proposed algorithm of lacrimal gland ultrasound study can enhance the accuracy and validity of results of the differential diagnosis of various lacrimal gland diseases with the clinical manifestations of the dry eye syndrome. The findings may be further used for the monitoring and detection of three-dimensional and structural changes in the lacrimal gland, which result from various pathological processes with the clinical manifestations of the dry eye syndrome.