title: Impact of wildfire smoke in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on ocular surface.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the acute impact of the wildfire smoke episode in 2008 on the ocular surface of subjects living in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (MABA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 86 subjects were evaluated: Group 1 comprised patients from a public ophthalmology hospital (N=35) and Group 2 comprised healthy volunteers (N=51). All subjects answered a questionnaire on ocular symptoms and underwent ophthalmologic examination [bulbar conjunctival hyperemia, corneal fluorescein staining, rose bengal vital staining, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer I test, tear lysozyme, and impression cytology] during and after the acute episode. Concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM) were measured before, during, and after the acute episode.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups showed a statically significant increase in ocular symptoms and bulbar conjunctival hyperemia and a statically significant decrease in tear break-up time during the acute episode. Group 1 showed more severe symptoms and a statistically significant increase in fluorescein and rose bengal staining intensities during the acute episode. We found a significant negative correlation between ocular symptoms and tear break-up time. During the episode, the levels of CO, NO2, and particulate matter in MABA were four times higher than the usual average levels for the same period in 2007 and 2009.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased air pollution from the burning of biomass is associated with a decrease in the stability of the tear film (TBUT), generating areas of ocular surface exposure that may be the cause of the increased feeling of irritation. Group 1 was more affected by not having a healthy ocular surface, and thus consulted an ophthalmologist. Cytological changes in the conjunctiva were not observed, which could be due to the short duration of the episode.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Oftalmología Pedro Lagleyze, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berra
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Oftalmología Pedro Lagleyze, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galperín
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Monitoreo Ambiental, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dawidowski
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Investigaciones Oculares, Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tau
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio BioFundus, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Márquez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Investigaciones Oculares, Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D001118:Argentina; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005123:Eye / Q000737:chemistry*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012906:Smoke; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide