Thermal fluctuation based study of aqueous deficient dry eyes by non-invasive thermal imaging.
In this paper we have studied the thermal fluctuation patterns occurring at the ocular surface of the left and right eyes for aqueous deficient dry eye (ADDE) patients and control subjects by thermal imaging. We conducted our experiment on 42 patients (84 eyes) with aqueous deficient dry eyes and compared with 36 healthy volunteers (72 eyes) without any history of ocular surface disorder. Schirmer's test, Tear Break-up Time, tear Meniscus height and fluorescein staining tests were conducted. Ocular surface temperature measurement was done, using an FL-IR thermal camera and thermal fluctuation in left and right eyes was calculated and analyzed using MATLAB. The time series containing the sum of squares of the temperature fluctuation on the ocular surface were compared for aqueous deficient dry eye and control subjects. Significant statistical difference between the fluctuation patterns for control and ADDE was observed (p < 0.001 at 95% confidence interval). Thermal fluctuations in left and right eyes are significantly correlated in controls but not in ADDE subjects. The possible origin of such correlation in control and lack of correlation in the ADDE subjects is discussed in the text.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, 35 ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India.
Mohammad
M
Azharuddin
Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO), Calcutta Medical College, Kolkata 700073, India.
Sumanta Kr
SK
Bera
Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO), Calcutta Medical College, Kolkata 700073, India. Electronic address: himadri.datta@gmail.com.
Himadri
H
Datta
Department of Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, 35 ballygunge circular road, Kolkata 700019, India.
Anjan Kr
AK
Dasgupta
D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*
aqueous deficient dry eye; left eye; ocular surface temperature; right eye; thermal fluctuation; thermal imaging