PURPOSE: Kinetic analysis of sequential tear interference images was used to investigate how the precorneal lipid film spread and distributed in @entity937 ( @entity937 ) @entity936 . METHODS: One eye of 17 @entity1 with @entity937 was randomly selected for this noncomparative case series. Twelve @entity1 also had noninflamed @entity409 ( @entity409 ). Sequential images were digitized and analyzed on computer. Data were further compared in 9 of the 17 cases before and after @entity432 ( @entity432 ). Outcome measures included speed and pattern of lipid spread and resultant lipid layer thickness in the superior, central, and inferior @entity267 . Intensity and red/green/blue (RGB) color spectra of the tear interference image were compared before and after @entity432 . RESULTS: After lid blinking, it took a longer time (2.2 +/- 1.1 second) to reach a stable lipid film in all eyes with @entity937 compared with normal subjects (P < 0.0001). Because of this retarded spread, the thickest lipid film was located at the inferior @entity267 adjacent to the lid margin, with a gradient spreading toward the superior @entity267 (P = 0.01). As a result, the lipid film was thinner than normal on the superior @entity267 in 10 of 17 (59%) @entity937 eyes. Fifteen of 17 eyes (88%) showed vertical streaking, rather than a normal horizontal propagation pattern on the superior @entity267 . Such a lipid-deficient state and uneven distribution did not correlate with the presence or absence of @entity409 . The lipid spread time was shortened (P = 0.008), the distribution of the lipid film was more even, and the thickness approached normal in all nine eyes after @entity432 . CONCLUSIONS: In this study, kinetic analysis of tear interference images provided evidence that retardation of lipid spread is, but @entity409 is not, the main reason for the increased thickness of precorneal lipid film in the inferior @entity735 with @entity937 . As a result, lipid film is deficient in the superior @entity267 and unevenly distributed, further destabilizing the tear film. The fact that @entity432 significantly improves lipid spread, evenness, and thickness suggests that the performance of lipid film is also dictated by the amount of aqueous tear fluid. These findings provide new insight into the interaction between the lipid film and the aqueous tear fluid.

Kinetic analysis of tear interference images in XXXX before and after @entity432 .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity267 :: ('MESH:D065306', 'Disease') :: ['cornea'] @entity937 :: ('MESH:D012167', 'Disease') :: ['ATD', 'aqueous tear deficiency'] @entity409 :: ('MESH:D008107', 'Disease') :: ['MGD', 'meibomian gland dysfunction'] @entity735 :: ('MESH:D005124', 'Disease') :: ['cornea of eyes'] @entity936 :: ('MESH:D015352', 'Disease') :: ['dry eye'] @entity432 :: ('MESH:D001157', 'Disease') :: ['PO', 'punctal occlusion']
@entity936 :: (MESH:D015352,Disease) :: ['aqueous tear deficiency dry eye']
