Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Nasolacrimal Lavage as a Treatment for Ocular Surface Toxic Soup Syndrome
03:40

Nasolacrimal Lavage as a Treatment for Ocular Surface Toxic Soup Syndrome

Published on: April 25, 2025

1.1K

Tear Ferning Test and Pathological Effects on Ocular Surface before and after Topical Cyclosporine in Vernal

Marcella Nebbioso1, Marta Sacchetti1, Guia Bianchi1

  • 1Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, p. le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.

Journal of Ophthalmology
|November 9, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) involves altered lacrimal mucin, impacting tear ferning. Cyclosporine A (CY) eye drops improved VKC symptoms and mucin component, showing potential therapeutic benefits for this rare eye condition.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a rare inflammatory eye disease affecting children, typically regressing at puberty.
  • Early therapeutic intervention is crucial for managing VKC before puberty onset.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the lacrimal mucous component in VKC patients.
  • To compare tear ferning test (TFT) modifications, MUC5AC levels, and conjunctival goblet cell density in VKC patients before and after cyclosporine A (CY) treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Enrolled 47 VKC patients and 30 healthy controls (ages 3-16).
  • Performed comprehensive eye exams, skin prick tests (SPT), tear collection, and impression cytology.
  • Evaluated TFT, MUC5AC levels, and goblet cell density pre- and post-CY eye drop treatment.

Main Results:

  • VKC patients exhibited significant alterations in tear ferning, indicating a compromised lacrimal mucous layer.
  • Increased conjunctival goblet cell density was observed in VKC patients; MUC5AC levels showed no significant difference between groups.
  • CY treatment improved VKC signs/symptoms, including TFT, and showed a trend towards normalizing goblet cell density.

Conclusions:

  • Demonstrated a significant alteration in the lacrimal mucin component in VKC patients for the first time.
  • Showed improvement in the lacrimal mucin component following cyclosporine A therapy in VKC patients.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Induction of Ocular Surface Inflammation and Collection of Involved Tissues06:38

Induction of Ocular Surface Inflammation and Collection of Involved Tissues

Published on: August 4, 2022

2.9K
Continuous Hydrologic and Water Quality Monitoring of Vernal Ponds06:37

Continuous Hydrologic and Water Quality Monitoring of Vernal Ponds

Published on: November 13, 2017

9.7K

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age01:27

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
237
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area01:23

Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area

Dissolution kinetics, an essential aspect of oral drug delivery, is significantly influenced by the drug's particle size. According to the Noyes-Whitney dissolution model, the dissolution rate correlates directly with the drug's surface area. The larger the surface area, the higher the drug's solubility in water, leading to a faster drug dissolution rate. Reducing particle size increases the effective surface area, enhancing the dissolution process. Micronization and nanosizing are...
1.7K
Buffer Effectiveness02:19

Buffer Effectiveness

Buffer solutions do not have an unlimited capacity to keep the pH relatively constant . Instead, the ability of a buffer solution to resist changes in pH relies on the presence of appreciable amounts of its conjugate weak acid-base pair. When enough strong acid or base is added to substantially lower the concentration of either member of the buffer pair, the buffering action within the solution is compromised.
The buffer capacity is the amount of acid or base that can be added to a given volume...
55.2K
Surface Tension and Surface Energy01:16

Surface Tension and Surface Energy

When a paint brush is immersed in water, the bristles wave freely inside the water. When it is taken out, the bristles stick together. The reason behind this effect is surface tension.
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
3.3K
Framing Effects03:26

Framing Effects

Information is everywhere and its presentation—such as how and when items are presented—can impact our perceptions and decisions surrounding the info. This broad concept umbrellas framing effects—influences that occur due to the way information is framed in its appearance, whether it’s purely the order or the specific wording of a message. Let’s take a look at numerous ways in which two versions of something can objectively say the same thing, yet we respond in...
8.0K
Wood Surfacing01:14

Wood Surfacing

Wood surfacing is a critical finishing process designed to smoothen the wood surface, enhance its dimensional accuracy, and make handling safer. This process compensates for potential shrinkage during the seasoning phase by marginally increasing the wood dimensions before surfacing. It also helps correct some distortions that may occur as the wood dries.
The equipment used in the surfacing process is a plane equipped with rotating blades. This tool efficiently smoothens the wood surface and can...
356