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Int J Mol Sci 2021 Apr 29;22(9). Epub 2021 Apr 29.

Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul 07442, Korea.

Choline is essential for maintaining the structure and function of cells in humans. Choline plays an important role in eye health and disease. It is a precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system, and it is involved in the production and secretion of tears by the lacrimal glands. Read More

Acta Ophthalmol 2021 May 2. Epub 2021 May 2.

Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LaPSCo, Physiological and Psychosocial Stress, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Preventive and Occupational Medicine, Witty Fit, Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Purpose: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the levels of oxidative stress markers and antioxidants in dry eye disease (DED) compared with healthy subject.

Method: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Science Direct and Google Scholar databases were searched on 10 January 2021 for studies reporting oxidative and antioxidative stress markers in DED and healthy controls. Main meta-analysis was stratified by type of biomarkers, type of samples (tears, conjunctival cells or biopsies), Sjögren's syndrome (SS) (patients with or without SS) and by geographical zones (Asia or Europe). Read More

Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2021 19;14:1629-1636. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Surgical Science, University of Cagliari, Eye Clinic, Cagliari, Italy.

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led many countries of the world to impose a series of containment measures such as lockdowns (mass quarantines), curfews or similar restrictions (eg, stay-at-home orders, or shelter-in-place orders). All these restrictions were established in order to limit spread of COVID-19. Thus, approximately 3. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Apr 27;11(1):9124. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

Department of Ophthalmology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, South Korea.

There is still no established therapeutic solution for postoperative Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) after cataract surgery, in spite of progress in surgical techniques. Diquafosol tetrasodium (DQS), a recently developed ophthalmic solution, has been reported to be effective in DES, but no study evaluated post-cataract surgery lipid layer thickness (LLT) changes in healthy patients who used DQS postoperatively. We randomly divided participants into two groups; the DQS group was treated six times daily with DQS after cataract surgery, and the sodium hyaluronate (HA) group was treated with HA in the same way. Read More

Eye Contact Lens 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Objectives: Decreased blink rate during video display viewing (VDV) has been reported; however, patients with tear dysfunction often complain of more frequent blinking. The objectives were to compare blink rates during conversation and VDV in normal and dry eyes and correlate blink rates with signs and symptoms.

Methods: Blink rate was measured with an infrared blink sensor for 2 minutes during conversation and for 2 minutes while watching a video clip (VDV) in patients without dry eye disease (control, n=18) and in patients with tear dysfunction from meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD, n=23), conjunctivochalasis (CCh, n=19), and aqueous tear deficiency (n=34; non-Sjögren syndrome n=18 and Sjögren syndrome n=16). Read More

J AAPOS 2021 Apr 22. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address:

Refractive surgery has been performed under general anesthesia on pediatric and neurobehaviorally challenged adults without reported loss of vision or serious complications. Persistent epithelial defect (PED) is a rare complication of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in the general refractive surgery population. We report a case of PED following PRK under general anesthesia for high myopia in a man with autism and ocular history of juvenile open-angle glaucoma and dry eye syndrome. Read More

Respir Med 2021 Apr 20;182:106405. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

María Ferrer Hospital, Interstitial Lung Disease Unit, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address:

Introduction/objectives: To define the performance of Minor Salivary Gland Biopsy (MSGB) and Dry Eye Tests (DET) to detect occult Sjögren Syndrome (SS) among Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features (IPAF) patients.

Methods: Prospective study. Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) patients without defined Connective Tissue Disease and one or more IPAF classification domains or xerophthalmia were included. Read More

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2021 Apr 24. Epub 2021 Apr 24.

Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Purpose: The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Er:YAG laser treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in a prospective study.

Methods: A total of 128 eyes from 64 patients with MGD were enrolled to receive either three Er:YAG laser treatments with meibomian gland expression (MGX) or MGX-alone treatment sessions at 3-week intervals. The Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) validated questionnaire; fluorescein breakup time of the tear film (FBUT); corneal fluorescein staining (CFS); lid margin abnormalities; meibomian gland morphology (meiboscore); lower tear meniscus height (TMH); and assessment of 15 meibomian glands in the lower eyelids, including total meibomian gland secretion quality (TMGS), the number of glands secreting any liquid (GSAL), and the number of glands yielding optimal clear liquid secretion (GYCL), were assessed at day (D)0, D21, D42, and D63 for the Er:YAG-MGX group and D0 and D63 for the MGX group. Read More

Eur J Ophthalmol 2021 Apr 22:11206721211011354. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.

Purpose: To report outcomes of a sutureless dehydrated amniotic membrane for persistent epithelial defects (PED).

Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive patients with a PED (⩾14 days) treated with a sutureless dehydrated amniotic membrane and bandage contact lens (BCL). Included were patients with an epithelial defect that did not respond to treatment with a BCL. Read More

Stem Cell Res Ther 2021 Apr 21;12(1):247. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Microbiology and CHA Organoid Research Center, CHA University School of Medicine, 335 Pangyo-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Republic of Korea.

Background: Tear deficiency due to lacrimal gland (LG) dysfunction is one of the major causes of dry eye disease (DED). Therefore, LG stem cell-based therapies have been extensively reported to regenerate injured lacrimal tissue; however, the number of stem cells in the LG tissue is low, and 2D long-term cultivation reduces the differentiation capacity of stem cells. Nevertheless, 3D LG organoids could be an alternative for a DED therapy because it is capable of prolonged growth while maintaining the characteristics of the LG tissue. Read More

Int J Ophthalmol 2021 18;14(4):616-621. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.

Many patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) suffer from dry eye syndrome (DES), and this is one of the most common reasons of eye discomfort in patients with GO. The prevalence of DES in patients with GO is significantly higher than normal subjects. The ocular surface changes involving changes in tears, cornea, conjunctiva and glands occur in GO patients. Read More

J Ophthalmol 2021 2;2021:6630286. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

Purpose: To assess the visual, ocular, extraocular, and multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) outcomes of computer vision syndrome (CVS) among medical students.

Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional case-control study that included 733 medical students. All students completed a specially designed and validated CVS questionnaire survey (CVS-F3). Read More

Digit J Ophthalmol 2021 Feb 12;26(4):31-35. Epub 2020 Oct 12.

Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Eye Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Purpose: To describe the utilization trends of a dedicated ophthalmology emergency department (ED) in Boston, Massachusetts.

Methods: The medical records of 500 randomly selected patients who presented at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) Emergency Department (ED) from January 2015 to March 2016 were reviewed retrospectively. Data were analyzed using the Pearson χ2 test and multiple logistic regression. Read More

J Fr Ophtalmol 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Ophthalmology department, University Hospital of Nice, 30, voie Romaine, 06000 Nice, France. Electronic address:

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication in patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloblastic leukemia that could be very difficult to treat. Lifitegrast 5% (Xiidra@, Novartis), a new immunosuppressive eye drop, was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of severe dry eye and is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency. In France, lifitegrast has been approved by the French authorities for temporary use in refractory dry eye syndrome resistant to tear substitutes and topical cyclosporine. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Assistant Professor, Georgetown University Hospital MedStar Washington Hospital Center; Surgeon, Ophthalmology, Visionary Eye Doctors.

Purpose: To evaluate the association of children's daily-electronic-screen-use with severe meibomian-gland-atrophy (MGA).

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study METHODS: Children (6-17years) presenting at clinical practice December 2016-2017 were evaluated for ≥grade 2 MGA versus age-matched-controls with insignificant atrophy (Read More

Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2021 Apr 15:1-5. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Health Sciences University, Dr. Sami Ulus Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

: To report bilateral anterior uveitis and corneal punctate epitheliopathy in children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) secondary to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).: Five patients who were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies and diagnosed with MIS-C were evaluated. Ophthalmologic examinations were performed in order to reveal ocular findings in MIS-C disease. Read More

BMC Oral Health 2021 04 12;21(1):191. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

School of Dentistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Background: Dry mouth currently affects roughly 20% of the population and is a condition characterized by chronic hyposalivation and/or subjective reports of xerostomia. Low saliva flow can be indicative of other undiagnosed diseases, such as primary Sjogren's syndrome, and may contribute to difficulty chewing, increased caries susceptibility and infection. The passive drool test (PDT) is the primary method used to evaluate patients for hyposalivation but it is time-consuming and inconvenient. Read More

Am J Ophthalmol 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Center for Ophthalmic Bioinformatics, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, 44195. Electronic address:

Purpose: Analyze the incremental economic burden of depression on adults with concurrent ophthalmic conditions in the United States.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study METHODS: Using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 2016 to 2018, ophthalmic patients with at least one outpatient visit as were identified by ICD-10-CM codes and stratified based on the presence of concurrent depression. A multivariate two-part regression model was used to determine incremental economic burden, healthcare sector utilization, and expenditures. Read More

Int J Appl Basic Med Res 2021 Jan-Mar;11(1):4-8. Epub 2021 Jan 26.

Department of Ophthalmology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.

Background: Prolonged use of visual display terminal images on electronic devices such as computers frequently leads to symptoms of dry eye. Tear substitutes form the mainstay of treatment for mild-to-moderate dry eye.

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) versus hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) tear substitutes for dry eye due to computer vision syndrome (CVS). Read More

Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2021 Apr 8:1-7. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

The purpose of this review is to delve into the clinical and research understanding of the pathophysiology and presentation of Sjögren's-related keratoconjunctivitis sicca in order address the diagnostic and management challenge that it represents, as well as to provide a basis for appreciating the pharmacotherapies designed to treat the ophthalmic symptoms of Sjögren's disease. Read More

South Afr J HIV Med 2021 19;22(1):1193. Epub 2021 Mar 19.

Department of Infectious Diseases, La Rabta Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Background: Ocular involvement is a common complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Knowledge about this topic in Tunisia is limited.

Objective: To investigate ophthalmic manifestations in patients living with HIV in Tunisia. Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2021 Mar 29. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi, Japan.

Objectives: The heterogeneous nature of the signs and symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) often causes delays in diagnosis. The reasons for these delays have not been investigated in Japan and need to be determined.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of members of the Japanese Sjögren's Association for Patients (JSAP). Read More

Genes (Basel) 2021 Mar 4;12(3). Epub 2021 Mar 4.

Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic, progressive, inflammatory, autoimmune disease, characterized by the lymphocyte infiltration of exocrine glands, especially the lacrimal and salivary, with their consequent destruction. The onset of primary SS (pSS) may remain misunderstood for several years. It usually presents with different types of severity, e. Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2021 Mar 20;13(6). Epub 2021 Mar 20.

Department of Radiotherapy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.

Background: Eyelid tumors are rare skin cancers, the most common of which is basal cell carcinoma characterized primarily by local growth. In addition to surgery, radiotherapy is among the basic methods of treatment. External beam radiotherapy is associated with the risk of complications within ocular structures, especially the lens. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 03 1;18(5). Epub 2021 Mar 1.

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is commonly used for treating dry eye syndrome (DES). This meta-analysis was performed to compare the efficacies of HA- and non-HA-based eye drops, including saline and conventional artificial tears (ATs), for the treatment of dry eye disease. Eight databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, DBpia, KoreaMed, KMBASE, RISS, KISS) were searched for studies comparing the efficacies of HA- and non-HA-based ATs in patients with DES published up to September 2020. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 17;22(6). Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Unit of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences, Division of Advanced Preventive Medical Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the salivary and lacrimal glands and extra-glandular lesions. Adaptive immune response including T- and B-cell activation contributes to the development of SS. However, its pathogenesis has not yet been elucidated. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 21;22(6). Epub 2021 Mar 21.

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sensory Organs (SMBNOS), Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", I-70124 Bari, Italy.

There is considerable interest in delineating the molecular mechanisms of action of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), considered as central player in a plethora of human conditions, including cancer, fibrosis and autoimmune disease. TGF-β elicits its biological effects through membrane bound serine/threonine kinase receptors which transmit their signals via downstream signalling molecules, SMADs, which regulate the transcription of target genes in collaboration with various co-activators and co-repressors. Until now, therapeutic strategy for primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) has been focused on inflammation, but, recently, the involvement of TGF-β/SMADs signalling has been demonstrated in pSS salivary glands (SGs) as mediator of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) activation. Read More

Ophthalmol Ther 2021 Jun 1;10(2):321-335. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Bicêtre Hospital, APHP, South Paris University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.

Introduction: Previous studies have examined the patient experience regarding the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease (DED). The current study explored the ways in which the DED diagnostic pathway differs for those living with and without Sjögren's syndrome (SS), to identify aspects that influence the patient experience and associated quality of life (QoL).

Methods: An observational/descriptive, non-interventional, retrospective, self-reported online survey was conducted among adults living in France, Spain and Italy who were diagnosed with DED (with/without SS), were using topical DED treatments (≥ 6 months), and were not contact lens users. Read More

Br J Ophthalmol 2021 Mar 31. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Health System, Miami, Florida, USA

Background: Chalazia are common inflammatory eyelid lesions, but their epidemiology remains understudied. This retrospective case-control study examined the prevalence, risk factors and geographic distribution of chalazia in a large veteran population.

Methods: Data on all individuals seen at a Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic between October 2010 and October 2015 were extracted from the VA health database. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2021 ;1303:193-207

Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.

Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune connective tissue disease targeting the exocrine glands and frequently affecting the respiratory system. The pulmonary disease is the most important extra-glandular manifestation as it carries most of the morbidity and mortality. Typically, it affects the small airways ranging from mild to severe respiratory symptoms. Read More