Tear meniscus dimensions in tear dysfunction and their correlation with clinical parameters

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Ocular Surface Disease
• Tear Film Dynamics

Background:

• Tear meniscus dimensions are critical indicators of tear volume.
• Ocular surface disease (OSD) encompasses various conditions affecting the eye's surface.
• Understanding the relationship between tear volume and OSD is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between tear meniscus dimensions and OSD parameters.
• To differentiate these relationships across various tear dysfunction conditions.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study involving 64 subjects (128 eyes).
• Optical coherence tomography was used to measure tear meniscus height and area.
• Measurements were compared with tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal/conjunctival staining, and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI).
• Subjects were categorized into meibomian gland disease (MGD), aqueous tear deficiency (ATD), Sjögren syndrome, and control groups.

Main Results:

• Mean tear meniscus height was significantly lower in tear dysfunction groups compared to controls.
• Lower tear meniscus height (≤210 μm) increased the risk of corneal staining.
• Tear meniscus height and area showed varying correlations with corneal staining and TBUT across different conditions (MGD, ATD).

Conclusions:

• Reduced tear volume correlates with increased corneal epithelial disease in ATD and Sjögren syndrome.
• Conversely, increased tear volume is associated with corneal epithelial disease in MGD.
• These findings may enhance the identification of patients at risk for OSD.