The Conjunctiva Plays an Important Role in Modulating Ocular Surface Tear

Authors: Bhattacharya D and Wang M

DOI: 10.23880/oajo-16000102

Volume 1, Issue 1

Abstract

Manifestation of dry eye disease (DED) includes tear film (TF) instability and hyperosmolar condition, leading to immunoinflammatory and mechanical injuries to the ocular surface. Specifically, DED involves defects in aqueous, lipid and/or mucin layers of the TF. Etiologically DED is categorized into aqueous teardeficient and evaporative dry eye. In the United States, 3.23 million women and 1.68 million men 50 years and older suffer from varied severity of DED. Most importantly, DED largely impairs the activities of daily living, thus negatively impacting vision related quality of life. Since ocular surface plays a significant role in modulating tear volume and composition, maintaining and/or restoring the normal function of ocular surface tissues could be a novel treatment strategy for DED. 

Keywords: Dry eye; Conjunctival epithelium; Cornea

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