Jaeger Julia, Burke Matthew, Wu Duoduo, Curren Emily Ern-Min, Leong Sandric Chee Yew, Symons Robert, Lim Blanche Xiao Hong, Su Xinyi, Mehta Jodhbir Singh, Riau Andri Kartasasmita, Lim Chris Hong Long
Eurofins Environment Testing Australia & New Zealand, Dandenong South, VIC, Australia.
Department of Ophthalmology, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
Eye (Lond). 2025 Sep 29. doi: 10.1038/s41433-025-04031-6.
There is increasing evidence that microplastics exert harmful effects on human health and on the ocular surface. This pilot study aims to investigate if microplastic particles are present in commonly used eyedrops in single-use plastic vials.
Six commonly used commercial tear-replacement solutions available without a doctor's prescription were tested (Brands A-F). All brands of eyedrops were analysed visually using light microscopy and the number of microplastic particles were manually counted. These were further analysed using the Agilent 8700 Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) chemical imaging system.
All eyedrops analysed contained microplastics. The number of particles identified using light microscopy ranged between 15 (Brand E) to >18,000 (Brand F). In total, nine types of microplastics were identified with LDIR - polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, polyamide and polyurethane.
This study provides the most extensive quantification of microplastic contamination in commercial eyedrops to date, highlighting a major, under-recognised source of ocular exposure. These particles may arise from secondary degradation of plastic vials during production, transportation, storage, or during instillation, or introduced from other sources during production and represent a major source of exposure to the ocular surface, especially among patients who require chronic instillation of eyedrops.
越来越多的证据表明，微塑料对人类健康和眼表有有害影响。这项初步研究旨在调查一次性塑料瓶中常用眼药水是否存在微塑料颗粒。
对六种无需医生处方即可获得的常用商业泪液替代溶液进行了测试（A - F品牌）。所有品牌的眼药水均使用光学显微镜进行目视分析，并手动计数微塑料颗粒的数量。使用安捷伦8700激光直接红外（LDIR）化学成像系统对这些颗粒进行进一步分析。
所有分析的眼药水中均含有微塑料。使用光学显微镜鉴定出的颗粒数量在15个（E品牌）至超过18,000个（F品牌）之间。总共通过LDIR鉴定出九种微塑料——聚乙烯、聚丙烯、聚苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯、聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯、聚碳酸酯、聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯、聚酰胺和聚氨酯。
本研究提供了迄今为止对商业眼药水中微塑料污染最广泛的量化，突出了一个未被充分认识的主要眼部暴露源。这些颗粒可能源于塑料瓶在生产、运输、储存或滴注过程中的二次降解，或者在生产过程中从其他来源引入，是眼表暴露的主要来源，尤其是对于需要长期滴用眼药水的患者。
