Dynamic tear meniscus parameters in complete blinking: insights into dry eye assessment
Authors:   Guangdong Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China; Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China, Zhang Ying-Huai , Yi Chen-Yuan ,   Guangdong Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China; Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China, Deng Xian-Yu ,   Guangdong Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China; Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China, Zhou Yong-Jin ,   Guangdong Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong Province, China; Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China, Tian Lei ,   Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China, Jie Ying ,   Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
Published: November 2023

AIM: To investigate the relationship between dynamic tear meniscus parameters and dry eye using an automated tear meniscus segmentation method.
METHODS: The analysis of tear meniscus videos captured within 5s after a complete blink includes data from 38 participates. By processing video data, several key parameters including the average height of the tear meniscus at different lengths, the curvature of the tear meniscus's upper boundary, and the total area of the tear meniscus in each frame were calculated. The effective values of these dynamic parameters were then linearly fitted to explore the relationship between their changing trends and dry eye disease.
RESULTS: In 94.74% of the samples, the average height of central tear meniscus increased over time. Moreover, 97.37% of the samples exhibited an increase in the overall tear meniscus height (TMH) and area from the nasal to temporal side. Notably, the central TMH increased at a faster rate compared to the nasal side with the temporal side showing the slowest ascent. Statistical analysis indicates that the upper boundary curvature of the whole tear meniscus as well as the tear meniscus of the nasal side (2, 3, and 4 mm) aid in identifying the presence of dry eye and assessing its severity.
CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the understanding of tear meniscus dynamics as potential markers for dry eye, utilizing an automated and non-invasive approach that has implications for clinical assessment.