Human Ocular Surface Particulate Composition in the Clinical Versus Home Environment

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Environmental Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• The ocular surface is continuously exposed to airborne particulate matter.
• Particulate matter is known to negatively impact eye health and the ocular surface.
• Understanding particle characteristics on the eye is crucial for managing ocular surface conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the size, type (organic/inorganic), and elemental composition of particles on the ocular surface.
• To investigate particle characteristics in both clinical and home environments.
• To determine the association between ocular surface particles and dry eye (DE) metrics.

Main Methods:

• Particles were collected from the eye using Schirmer strips in clinic and home settings.
• Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy were used for particle analysis.
• Paired t tests and correlation analyses assessed particle differences and associations with DE measures.

Main Results:

• Particle characteristics (size, type, elemental composition) did not significantly differ between clinic and home environments.
• Particle surface area showed a marginal association with indoor temperature.
• Greater particle surface area correlated significantly with increased tear osmolality, inflammation, and reduced tear breakup time.

Conclusions:

• Particulate matter was consistently found on the ocular surface across different environments.
• The amount of detected ocular surface particles correlates with specific dry eye indicators.
• These findings suggest that ocular surface particles may contribute to eye health issues.