title: Dynamic changes in the lower tear meniscus after instillation of artificial tears.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the dynamic changes in lower tear meniscus area (TMA) and height after instillation of artificial tears in patients with dry eye and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two eyes of 11 patients with dry eye and twenty eyes of 10 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were included. The inferior tear meniscus height and area measurements were taken before and after instillation of 35 μL carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) 0.5% and 1.0% (Allergan, Irvine, CA) on 2 consecutive days. The measurements were obtained before and 1, 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes after instillation using anterior segment optical coherence tomography, RTVue-100 (RTVue, Optovue, Inc).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline lower TMA and height in the dry eye group were significantly lower than in the control group. A significant increase in TMA and height was found at 1 minute post instillation of 0.5% CMC in both groups, with findings returning to baseline levels at 5 and 10 minutes post instillation in the control group and dry eye group, respectively. The increase in TMA and height persisted for a longer time period in both groups with 1% CMC, versus 0.5% CMC. At 15 and 30 minutes, both tear meniscus parameters were still significantly higher in the control group and dry eye group, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Artificial tears provide a significant yet temporary improvement in the tear meniscus. The anterior segment optical coherence tomography is valuable to measure dynamic changes in the tear meniscus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Jianjiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xinghuai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium; D019793:Fluorescein