VIDEO: Increased cytokine levels linked to dry eye signs, symptoms
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SAN DIEGO — Patients with dry eye disease were found to have increased levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, according to Selina McGee, OD, FAAO.
McGee and colleagues presented a poster at Academy 2022 reporting on a study of cytokines in dry eye and normal patients.
“We have always suspected there’s an inflammatory component to dry eye disease, and looking at the cytokine levels allows us to have good data and a baseline to reference,” she said.
McGee explained that they used a Schirmer’s test to capture the cytokines, which they sent to a lab to identify the assay of nine different pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
According to McGee, healthy patients had fewer cytokine levels and higher Schirmer’s score, while patients with dry eye had a lower Schirmer’s score, fewer tears and increased cytokine levels.
Patients who were symptomatic also had increased cytokine levels, she said.
“This information gives us great baseline information so in the future we can look at our therapeutics and procedures for dry eye disease and see what that is doing for these pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels.”
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McGee S, et al. Pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in tears of dry eye and healthy subjects. Presented at: Academy; Oct. 26-29, 2022; San Diego.
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