[The Video Tearscope: a new method for evaluating lacrimal film in vivo].
OBJECTIVE
The lacrimal film has trophic, immunological, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory roles. The lipidic phase of the tear film reduces surface stresses and limits tear evaporation. We present a reproducible and noninvasive investigation of the lacrimal film, the Video Tearscope (Vi-Te), which analyzes the after-blinking tear stabilization time and the different types of blinking. Vi-Te consists of a numerical video recording of the specular reflexion produced by the Tearscope Plus adapted to a biomicroscope.


METHODS
Twenty-four normal subjects and ten patients with dry eye syndrome were included. We studied the blinking types and LFST using the Vi-Te technique. The analysis was carried out at 25 images/s, corresponding to an in-between image interval of 40 ms.


RESULTS
Four types of spontaneous blinking were observed: complete, subtotal (99%-70% occlusion), partial (69%-20%), and abortive (less than 20%). We obtained a LFST value of 0.65+/-0.12s for the control group versus 2.34+/-1.28 s for the dry eye syndrome group. The difference was significant between the two groups for the LFST (p<0.001) for complete blinking.


CONCLUSIONS
The Video Tearscope is a promising technique that provides new insights into tear film stability and physiology. The main weakness of this technique, however, is the time required for video analysis (20-45 min per case). Despite this drawback, additional studies should be undertaken in order to establish standards for evaluating ocular surface disorders in a completely noninvasive way.
Ounnoughene
Y
Y
Service d'Ophtalmologie, Hôpital Ambroise-Paré, AP-HP, Boulogne, UFR Paris Ile de France Ouest et Centre National Hospitalier des Quinze-vingts, Paris. yasmineoun@quinze-vingts.fr
Benhatchi
N
N
Agboke
J
J
Beauchet
A
A
Baudouin
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014741:Video Recording