Advances in the diagnosis and management of keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

Abstract

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is a common ocular surface disease that develops in patients with aqueous tear deficiency. Recent advances have been made in diagnosis, pathogenesis, and therapy of this condition. Advances in diagnosis include improved understanding of the specificity of the tests used for diagnosis, elucidation of the mechanism of the ocular surface rose bengal and fluorescein staining that occurs in this condition, and the expanded use of impression cytology. Advances in pathogenesis include the concept that keratoconjunctivitis sicca is a condition of abnormal growth and differentiation and immune activation of the ocular surface epithelium. These findings indicate that keratoconjunctivitis sicca may represent a chronic wound-healing response to a poorly lubricated and inflamed ocular surface. Advances in therapy include improved nonpreserved artificial tears and therapies targeted at decreasing ocular surface inflammation.

• Authors: S C Pflugfelder
• Journal: Current opinion in ophthalmology (Curr Opin Ophthalmol) Vol. 9 Issue 4 Pg. 50-3 (Aug 1998) ISSN: 1040-8738 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10387469 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Growth Substances
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Ophthalmic Solutions
• Recombinant Proteins
• Transforming Growth Factor beta
• Epidermal Growth Factor

Topics

• Animals
• Cornea (pathology)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Epidermal Growth Factor (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Growth Substances (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Ophthalmic Solutions
• Recombinant Proteins
• Transforming Growth Factor beta (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome