Abstract
Purpose: :
Temperature is influenced by mechanical stress, blood flow and immunological activity. Therefore it is elevated at the ocular surface in dry eyes. The lid wiper at the margin of the tarsal conjunctiva is stressed during each blink. It was attempted to investigate if this region shows changes of the temperature according to signs of inflammation, dryness and subjective complaints.
Methods: :
Worse eye of 61 patients were observed. The temperature of the cornea and the wiper was measured by non contact thermometry in constant ambient temperature and humidity. The ocular surface and the lid wiper were observed by slit lamp, vital staining with fluorescein and lissamin green was performed. The lid wiper was graded in 3 stages by staining with Lissamin green. Subjective complaints were evaluated by the visual analogue scale, Dryness was observed by break up time of the tear film and by staining with fluorescein and Lissamin-green. The patients were divided in one group with signs of inflammation compared to those without inflammation. Statistical analysis was performed by Pearson correlation.
Results: :
Compared to non inflammated eyes the temperature (34,5 average vs 33,7) was elevated and there was more redness and staining of the wiper in inflammated eyes (Lissamin 5,6 vs 3,3/9). There was a positive correlation between the temperature of the wiper and the signs of inflammation. There was a positive correlation of the temperature of the cornea and the temperature of the wiper. Fluorescein and Lissamin green staining of the lid wiper were higher in the same staining of the conjunctiva and cornea. There was no correlation between subjective complaints and the temperature of Wiper or cornea.
Conclusions: :
Inflammations elevate the temperature of the wiper and may be a sign of changes of the ocular surface damage and dryness.
Keywords: cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye • inflammation • eyelid