title: Changes in tear protein pattern after photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Changes in tear protein composition of patients who underwent photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) were analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tear samples were obtained from 23 eyes of 23 patients immediately before PRK and on the fourth postoperative day with glass capillaries. Tear proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Digital image analysis and evaluation of the densitometric data of the electrophoretic separations were done with BioDoc-Analyze.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of discriminance found a significant difference in the protein patterns (p < 0.001). This type of analysis of the electrophoretic densitographs uses all peak information simultaneously. A significant decrease (p < 0.005) in three of the main protein peaks--lactoferrin, immunoglobulin A heavy chain, and lysozyme--was also found after PRK.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Excimer laser ablation of the cornea has an acute effect on lacrimal gland protein secretion. Changes in tear composition may lead to feelings of dryness and to a decrease in tear film stability postoperatively.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Füst
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veres
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kiszel
authors.forename: Z Z
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cervenak
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Csákány
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maka
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Süveges
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Grus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000502:physiology; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008875:Middle Aged; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; C042434:tear proteins