Department of Applied Physics (Optometry Section), University of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
Clin Exp Optom. 2021 Aug;104(6):691-697. doi: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1878815. Epub 2021 Mar 3.
Variation with time in the tear film parameters should be considered by the clinician since the time when measurements are made can influence proper diagnosis.
A hallmark of dry eye is an unstable tear film associated with variability in objective daily measures. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the inter-week repeatability of meibometry, break-up time (BUT) and maximum blink interval (MBI) in healthy subjects.
Forty healthy subjects were recruited for the study. Meibometry, BUT and MBI were performed twice in two sessions, one-week apart. Meibum from the lower eyelid was collected and quantified with the Meibometer MB550. Five meibomian curves were generated by tape and each peak value was averaged as a mean value per session. BUT and MBI were determined three times after fluorescein instillation and recorded by a DV-3 camera attached to the slit lamp. BUT and MBI videos were analysed by a second masked observer. Both BUT and MBI values were calculated by averaging the two most similar measurements of the three evaluated.
No statistical difference between inter-week sessions was obtained for the meibometry (p > 0.340; Wilcoxon test), BUT (p > 0.326; Wilcoxon test) and MBI values (p ≥ 0.248; Wilcoxon test). Inter-week differences were low for BUT and MBI when time intervals were no longer than 15 seconds (both p ≥ 0.586; Wilcoxon test). A correlation between BUT and MBI was found (r ≥ 0.668, p < 0.001; Spearman Rho), while a no statistical correlation was obtained between meibometry results and BUT or MBI (all p ≥ 0.194; Spearman Rho).
Meibum secretion and the tear film stability present good intersession repeatability, and are stable along with sessions in healthy patients.
由于测量时间会影响正确诊断，因此临床医生应考虑泪膜参数随时间的变化。
干眼症的一个标志是不稳定的泪膜，与客观日常测量的可变性有关。本研究的目的是评估健康受试者的睑板腺测量、泪膜破裂时间（BUT）和最大眨眼间隔（MBI）的两周内重复性。
招募了 40 名健康受试者参加这项研究。在两次间隔一周的两次检查中分别进行了睑板腺测量、BUT 和 MBI。使用 Meibometer MB550 从下眼睑采集和量化睑脂。用胶带生成 5 条睑板腺曲线，每次测量的峰值平均作为每次检查的平均值。在滴入荧光素后，通过连接在裂隙灯上的 DV-3 相机进行了三次 BUT 和 MBI 测量并记录。由第二位经过盲法的观察者分析 BUT 和 MBI 视频。BUT 和 MBI 值通过平均三次评估中最相似的两次测量值来计算。
在睑板腺测量（p>0.340；Wilcoxon 检验）、BUT（p>0.326；Wilcoxon 检验）和 MBI 值（p≥0.248；Wilcoxon 检验）方面，两周间检查结果无统计学差异。当时间间隔不超过 15 秒时，BUT 和 MBI 的两周间差异较小（p≥0.586；Wilcoxon 检验）。BUT 和 MBI 之间存在相关性（r≥0.668，p<0.001；Spearman Rho），而睑板腺测量结果与 BUT 或 MBI 之间无统计学相关性（所有 p≥0.194；Spearman Rho）。
泪液分泌和泪膜稳定性在健康患者中具有良好的两次检查内重复性，并且在检查期间是稳定的。
