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Preserve our Eyes, not our Drops!

 

 

 

 


      

 

Dry Eyes: Categories

 

I. AMLEI classification (by type of deficiency) which may be cumulative:

  • aqueous

  • mucin

  • lipid

  • epitheliopathy

  • incoherence between the ocular surface and the lids

The first 3 are directly related to the composition of tears

The mucin layer - the innermost layer in direct contact with the eye surface is notably produced by conjonctival and goblet cells. Its composition seems to be very complex and may be subdivided in several layers. This layer acts as a surfactant, which means that it enables the uniform distribution of the other layers upon the eye surface. Without it, the tears are unable to spread evenly over the surface and thus creating dry spots.

The aqueous layer - the central layer and certainly thickest and most abuundant one in healthy eyes

The lipid layer -  a greasy layer in direct contact with the eye to limit evaporation and which is mainly produced by the meibomian glands situated in the edge of the lids. Certains pathologies such as meibomianitis or meibomitis (inflammation of the said glands), rosacea, blepharitis (inflammation of the lids), some hormonal deficiency, particularly affect this layer. A recent study by doctor Tseng has demonstrated that the lipid deficiency due to the meibomius glands is the predominent cause of dry eyes in post lasik dry eye.

Most studies, however, indicate that LASIK-induced dry eye is due to the severed corneal nerves in the cornea.  Thus confirming the theory of neuro-lachrymal unit as well. Nevertheless, the lipid deficiency may be cause the severed nerves and loss of corneal sensitivity.

II. Other older classifications exist, such as Sjögren (and sometimes autoimmune dry eye) and non-Sjögren dry eye was very commun a few years ago but has progressively been abandonned because, the vast majority of dry eyes is non-Sjögren, which makes that category not very specific.

 

 

 

Work in Progress!

 

Webpage under construction!

Most of it is still in French; please excuse us.

In the meanwhile have a look at our page on preservatives in eyedrops:

http://preservative.free.fr/

or this one: Preserve our Eyes not our Drops!

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