Clinical appearance and microscopic analysis of mucin balls associated with contact lens wear.
OBJECTIVE
The structure of mucin balls collected from silicone hydrogel contact lens wearers was examined to determine their nature.


METHODS
Tears containing mucin balls were collected using a capillary tube. These were processed for light microscopic histochemistry, scanning electron microscopy, and electron microscopic elemental analysis. Mucin balls were also observed in vivo using confocal microscopy.


RESULTS
Histology showed that the mucin balls were PAS positive, indicating that glycoproteins form a major component. Lipids and bacteria were not detected. Scanning electron microscopy did not show the surface to be smooth but revealed a variation in density across the surface. Elemental analysis was inconclusive.


CONCLUSIONS
Mucin balls are likely to be made from collapsed mucin and are unlikely to have been formed as a result of pearling around a silicon, lipid, or bacterial kernel.
School of Science Food and Horticulture, University of Western Sydney, NSW, Australia. t.millar@uws.edu.au
Thomas J
TJ
Millar
Eric B
EB
Papas
Jerome
J
Ozkan
Isabelle
I
Jalbert
Malcolm
M
Ball
D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008863:Microspheres; D009077:Mucins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010503:Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction; D013499:Surface Properties; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry
D009077:Mucins