title: Relationship of Corneal Pain Sensitivity With Dry Eye Symptoms in Dry Eye With Short Tear Break-Up Time.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this prospective comparative study was to investigate corneal sensitivity in subjects with unstable tear film, with and without dry eye (DE) symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one eyes of 41 volunteers (mean age: 45.1 ± 9.4 years; age range, 23-57 years), with normal tear function and ocular surface except for tear stability, were studied. The eyes were divided into two groups depending on the presence or absence of DE symptoms: 21 eyes with DE symptoms (symptomatic group); and 20 eyes without DE symptoms (asymptomatic group). Three types of corneal sensitivity values were measured using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer: the sensitivity for perception of touch (S-touch), the sensitivity for blinking (S-blink), and the sensitivity for pain (S-pain).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean S-blink and S-pain were significantly higher in the symptomatic group than in the asymptomatic group (P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in mean S-touch between these groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corneal sensitivity for blinking and pain evoked by increased stimuli was higher in the symptomatic group (subjects with short break-up time DE) compared with subjects who have no DE symptoms despite decreased tear stability. The presence of both tear instability and hyperesthesia, rather than tear instability alone, may contribute to DE pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan 2Shinanozaka Clinic, Tokyo, Japan 3Wada Eye Clinic, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaido
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult