| Corneal Microstructural Changes in Non-Sjogren Dry Eye Using Confocal Microscopy: Clinical Correlation. |
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Eun Young Choi, Tae Im Kim, Kyoung Yul Seo, Eung Kweon Kim, Hyung Keun Lee |
1Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. shadik@yuhs.ac
2Institute of Corneal Dystrophy Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. |
| 동일초점현미경을 이용한 비쇼그렌건성안 각막 미세구조의 변화 및 임상증상과의 관계 |
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최은영1⋅김태임1,2⋅서경률1,2⋅김응권1,2⋅이형근1,2 |
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연세대학교 의과대학 안과학교실 시기능개발연구소1, 연세대학교 의과대학 안과학교실 각막이상증연구소2 |
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| Abstract |
PURPOSE
To investigate the relationship between changes of corneal epithelium and subbasal nerves in non-Sjogren dry eye using in vivo confocal microscope (IVCM) and self-reported clinical symptoms. METHODS: The present study included 40 patients with dry eye and 18 healthy control subjects. The dry eye group underwent an evaluation of dry eye symptoms using visual analogue scale (VAS) score and was subdivided into 2 groups; score 0-5 as the low VAS score (LVS) group and score 6 - 10 as the high VAS score (HVS) group. The tear film break-up time, fluorescein staining, Schirmer test and microstructural imaging of epithelium, and subbasal nerve at cornea center with IVCM were performed on both eyes of each patient. Twenty-three normal eyes and 54 eyes of dry eye patients were included in the study. Cell densities and morphological characteristics were analyzed using ImageJ and NeuronJ softwares. RESULTS: Both LVS and HVS groups had decreased cell density of superficial, intermediate, and basal epithelium (p < 0.001). Intermediate epithelial cells were more decreased in the dry eye group with more severe symptoms (p < 0.0001). Subbasal nerve density (p < 0.005) was more decreased and nerve beadings, tortuosity, and reflectivity increased in the HVS group than both LVS and control groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The alterations of corneal cellular level in dry eye patients visualized using IVCM are correlated with pathology and clinical symptoms and may be useful objective criteria in diagnosis and monitoring treatment efficacy. |
| Key Words:
Confocal microscopy;Dry eye;In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM);Non-Sjogren dry eye |
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