Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: The changing of the tear protein composition of patients who went through a PRK treatment were analysed. Methods: Tear samples were obtained from 15 eyes of 12 patients, immediately before the PRK and on the 4th postoperative day using 50 ml glass capillaries. Tear protein pattern (SDS-PAGE), digital image analysis (Biodoc Analyze, Biometra, Göttingen, FRG) and multivariate statistics and analysis by artificial neural networks was performed. Activation product of the classical complement pathway, C1rsC1inh was measured by ELISA. Results: The analysis of discriminance found a significant difference in the tear protein patterns (P<0.0004) using all peak informations of the complete electrophoretic patterns simultaneously. Significant decrease in three of the main protein peaks, lactoferrin, IgA heavy chain, and lysozyme, was also found after PRK. No significant change in the C1rsC1inh levels was found. Conclusions: TRK has an acute effect on the lacrimal gland protein secretion. Change in the tear composition may lead to feeling of dryness and to a decrease of the tear film stability postoperatively.
Keywords: 369 cornea: clinical science • 372 cornea: epithelium • 376 cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye