title: Assessment of Tear Film Quality among Smokers Using Tear Ferning Patterns.
abstract: Purpose. To investigate the effect of cigarette smoking on the ocular tear film.Methods. Thirty healthy young male cigarette smokers (20-38 years old) and 30 healthy age matched nonsmokers were enrolled in the study. McMonnies questionnaire, slit lamp, and PRT test were used to screen the subjects. Tear samples were collected from the right eyes and tear ferning patterns were observed and graded.Results. The mean MacMonnies scores and TF grades were significantly higher in the smoker subjects (mean ± SD = 9.83 ± 5.22 and 0.96 ± 0.54, resp.) compared to nonsmokers (mean ± SD = 5.96 ± 3.06 and 0.41 ± 0.38, resp.). The mean values obtained from PRT and TBUT tests were 22.23 ± 6.35 mm and 12.17 ± 3.81 s for smokers and 22.16 ± 5.63 mm and 14.13 ± 2.62 s for nonsmokers, respectively. Strong correlations were found between MacMonnies scores and both PRT (r= 0.596) and TF (r= 0.516). There was statistically significant difference in TF grades (p= 0.00), TBUT (p= 0.036) and McMonnies (p= 0.02) between smokers and nonsmokers.Conclusion. Cigarette smoking could have a significant effect on the tear film quality of the eye.
authors.affiliation: Cornea Research Chair, Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali M
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5992-6332
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Masmali
authors.affiliation: Cornea Research Chair, Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Shehri
authors.affiliation: Cornea Research Chair, Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saud A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Alanazi
authors.affiliation: Cornea Research Chair, Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abusharaha
authors.affiliation: Cornea Research Chair, Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Raied
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fagehi
authors.affiliation: Cornea Research Chair, Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Gamal A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6675-3126
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: El-Hiti