Method for Collection of Tear Fluid for Evaluation Its Antioxidant Properties

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Tear fluid analysis is crucial for diagnosing ocular surface pathologies.
• Antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) are key indicators of oxidative stress in tears.
• Current tear collection methods using Schirmer strips can lead to sample contamination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel technique for collecting tear fluid using Schirmer strips.
• To ensure accurate measurement of antioxidant enzyme activity in tears by preventing cellular contamination.
• To enhance the diagnostic utility of tear analysis for ocular surface conditions.

Main Methods:

• Development of a modified Schirmer strip collection technique to prevent conjunctival and corneal cell transfer.
• Quantification of enzyme extraction efficiency from Schirmer strips (>85% for SOD, CAT, GPx).
• Utilizing cytometry to confirm the absence of intracellular enzyme fractions in the collected tear samples.

Main Results:

• The proposed technique effectively prevents contamination of tear samples with conjunctival and corneal cells.
• High extraction rates (>85%) for key antioxidant enzymes were achieved from the Schirmer strips.
• The method demonstrated increased accuracy in determining the activity of antioxidant enzymes in tear fluid.

Conclusions:

• The novel Schirmer strip technique provides a reliable and accurate method for assessing tear antioxidant enzyme activity.
• This technique minimizes sample contamination, leading to more precise diagnostic results for ocular surface pathologies.
• The improved accuracy supports the clinical application of tear analysis in diagnosing and managing eye conditions.