[Comparison of corneal and conjunctival rose bengal staining before and after punctal occlusion].
OBJECTIVE
In severely tear-deficient dry eye patients whose puncta had been occluded, corneal and conjunctival rose bengal (RB) staining were graded and compared to before occlusion.


METHODS
Subjects were 17 eyes of 13 severely tear-deficient dry eye patients whose puncta had been successfully occluded (corneal fluorescein staining showed A 0 D 0 after occlusion). Corneal and conjunctival RB staining were graded 0, 1, 2 or 3, according to severity [B 1] at the cornea and at the temporal and nasal bulbar conjunctiva. The scores were then compared to those before punctal occlusion. To enable comparison of pre- and post-occlusion ocular surface concentrations of RB [B 2], post-occlusion concentration was adjusted by absorbing tears from the conjunctival sac with Schirmer's test paper until the lower meniscus height was equal to that before occlusion, as monitored by video-meniscometer. RB dye was then instilled into the patients conjunctival sac.


RESULTS
RB staining score at the cornea decreased significantly; in contrast, no significant improvement was found at the nasal and temporal conjunctiva (p = 0.0025, p = 0.05, p = 0.7, respectively, Wilcoxon test).


CONCLUSIONS
In accordance with the basic interpretation of RB staining, these results imply that RB positive staining [B 3] on the conjunctival surface is caused by a factor other than aqueous deficiency.
Hirotani
Yumi
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajiicho, Hirokoji-agaru, Kawaramachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-0841, Japan.
Yokoi
Norihiko
N
Tsuzuki
Hirokatsu
H
Kinoshita
Shigeru
S
D004396:Coloring Agents; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012395:Rose Bengal
D004396:Coloring Agents; D012395:Rose Bengal