Study on Tear Iron Levels and Their Link to Dry Eye Disease Severity in Adults Aged 18 to 70

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating whether the amount of iron in tears is connected to the severity of dry eye disease. This observational study compares tear samples from people with dry eye to those from individuals with healthy eyes. The goal is to find new ways to diagnose and understand dry eye by analyzing tear iron levels alongside standard dry eye test results and symptom scores. Participants will have a single study visit involving tear fluid collection using sterile Schirmer test strips without anesthesia, placed in the lower conjunctival sac for 5 minutes. They will also undergo a detailed eye surface evaluation, including the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire and clinical tests such as fluorescein tear film breakup time, corneal fluorescein staining scoring, and Schirmer I test. The tear samples will be analyzed for iron concentration. During the study visit, researchers will assess symptoms and conduct clinical tests to measure tear film stability, tear secretion volume, and corneal epithelial damage. The main measure is the correlation between tear iron levels and dry eye symptom severity. This single diagnostic visit includes no treatment, and participants usual eye care remains unchanged. The study is expected to continue until May 2029.

A Study on the Correlation Between Tear Iron Levels and the Severity of Dry Eye Disease.