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Ocular Surface Epithelial Thickness Evaluation in Dry Eye Patients: Clinical Correlations
Qingfeng Liang1, Hong Liang2, Hanruo Liu1
1Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Beijing 100005, China.
Journal of Ophthalmology
|March 1, 2016
Summary
In dry eye disease patients, limbal epithelium is thinner and bulbar conjunctival epithelium is thicker. These ocular surface changes correlate with dry eye symptom severity and tear film abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Corneal Science
- Ocular Surface Disease
Background:
- Dry eye disease (DED) affects millions globally.
- Ocular surface changes are key indicators of DED.
- Epithelial thickness variations in DED require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the relationship between corneal and conjunctival epithelium thickness and clinical tests in DED patients.
- To investigate epithelial thickness differences between DED patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) for measuring central corneal (CET), limbal (LET), and bulbar conjunctival epithelium thickness (BET).
- Ocular surface evaluation including Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear film break-up time (TBUT), staining, lipid layer analysis, and Schirmer test.
- Comparison of epithelial thickness and clinical test results between 54 DED patients and 32 control subjects.
Main Results:
- DED patients exhibited significantly thicker mean BET and thinner mean LET compared to controls.
- No significant difference in mean CET was found between groups.
- LET correlated with OSDI and TBUT; inferior LET also correlated with Schirmer test, Oxford score, and corneal sensitivity.
- BET correlated with OSDI and TBUT.
Conclusions:
- Dry eye disease is associated with thinner limbal epithelium and thicker bulbar conjunctival epithelium.
- These epithelial thickness alterations are linked to DED symptom severity and tear film dysfunction.
- SD-OCT provides valuable insights into structural changes in DED.
