An in vivo study of the corneal surface in keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
Thirteen normal subjects and thirteen subjects with bona fide keratoconjunctivitis sicca were examined employing wide-field colour specular microscopy of the corneal epithelium. The prevalence of small, medium and large cells is different in these two groups with a shift to small cells in patients with keratoconjunctivitis. Increased rose bengal dye uptake filaments, coarse mucus plaques and pre-exfoliative sheets are also seen in keratoconjunctivitis sicca. These findings suggest an accelerated epithelial cell loss from the surface of the eye in keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
M A
MA
Lemp
J B
JB
Gold
D002452:Cell Count; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000473:pathology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling