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Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Impression Cytology of the Lid Wiper Area
Published on: August 9, 2016
Impression cytology: recent advances and applications in dry eye disease
Eli Lopin1, Tatiana Deveney, Penny A Asbell
1Department of Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Insights
Impression cytology (IC) is a simple, noninvasive technique for collecting ocular surface cells. This method aids in diagnosing various eye conditions, particularly dry eye disease, and offers valuable biomarkers for clinical research.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Cell Biology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Impression cytology (IC) is a minimally invasive method for obtaining ocular surface cells.
- It involves applying a filter or membrane to collect superficial epithelial cells for analysis.
- IC is well-tolerated, easily performed in outpatient settings, and requires minimal patient discomfort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the applications and advancements of impression cytology in diagnosing ocular surface disorders.
- To highlight the role of IC in understanding disease pathophysiology and identifying biomarkers.
- To emphasize the significant contributions of IC to the study of dry eye disease.
Main Methods:
- Noninvasive harvesting of ocular surface epithelial cells using cellulose acetate filters or Biopore membranes.
- Subsequent cytological and molecular analysis of collected cells.
- Application of IC in diverse clinical settings for diagnosis and research.
Main Results:
- IC effectively diagnoses a range of ocular surface conditions, including dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca), squamous neoplasia, and infections.
- The technique has enhanced the understanding of ocular surface disease pathophysiology.
- IC provides reliable biomarkers for outcome measures in clinical trials, especially for dry eye disease.
Conclusions:
- Impression cytology is a valuable, versatile tool for ocular surface diagnostics and research.
- Its ease of use and minimal invasiveness make it suitable for routine clinical practice and clinical trials.
- IC has significantly advanced the diagnosis and management of ocular surface diseases, notably dry eye.
Abstract:
Impression cytology (IC) allows cells to be harvested from the ocular surface noninvasively. Superficial layers of the epithelium are removed by application of cellulose acetate filters or Biopore membranes, and the cells can be subsequently analyzed by various methods, depending on the objective of the investigation or pathology involved. IC techniques are easily learned, can be performed in an outpatient setting, and cause virtually no discomfort to the patient. IC facilitates the diagnosis of ocular surface disorders, including, among others, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, ocular surface squamous neoplasia, and ocular surface infections. During the past decade, IC has been used increasingly to assist in diagnosis of ocular surface disease, improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of ocular surface disease, and provide biomarkers to be used as outcome measures in clinical trials. Dry eye disease is one area in which IC has contributed to significant advances.
