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Comparing Objective Conjunctival Hyperemia Grading and the Ocular Surface Disease Index Score in Dry Eye Syndrome During COVID-19
Published on: May 25, 2022
Hepatitis C and ocular surface disease
Christina Jacobi1, Hartmut Wenkel, Arnd Jacobi
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany. christina.jacobi@augen.imed.uni-erlangen.de
American Journal of Ophthalmology
|September 18, 2007
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection commonly causes dry eye syndrome and reduced tear production. The study found HCV RNA in 10% of tears, indicating a potential transmission risk.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects multiple organ systems.
- Ocular surface manifestations in HCV infection are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of ocular surface changes in patients with chronic HCV.
- To detect the presence of HCV in tear samples.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 71 chronic HCV patients and 66 controls.
- Ocular examinations, tear production tests (Jones test), and conjunctival cytology were performed.
- Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detected HCV RNA in tear and blood samples.
Main Results:
- 50% of HCV patients exhibited decreased tear production.
- Dry eye syndrome was observed in 12 patients; two had corneal thinning.
- HCV RNA was detected in 10% of tear samples, at lower levels than in blood.
Conclusions:
- Dry eye syndrome is a frequent ocular finding in chronic HCV infection.
- HCV patients showed significantly reduced tear production compared to controls.
- HCV RNA in tears suggests a potential risk for viral transmission.
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