Since 2020, our workplace has had a new device that is used for a comprehensive diagnosis of a disease called Dry Eye Disease (DED). This disease is currently very topical. According to the Beaver Dam Eye Study (BDES), 21.6% of patients in the European population aged 48–91 years were symptomatic during the last 10 years. It is also well known that women are more likely than men to suffer from this disease (25% vs. 17.3% according to BDES). It is also logical to find that the incidence of DED increases with age. According to the results of the BDES study, the incidence of DED increases by 20% every 10 years of age (odds ratio 1.2x).
Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the surface of the eye, which is characterized by loss of tear film homeostasis and is accompanied by ocular symptoms. The symptoms of these symptoms are tear film instability, hyperosmolarity, inflammation and damage to the surface of the eye. According to TFOS DEWS II (Tear Film and Ocular Surface
Society, Dry Eye Workshop II), DED can be divided into two main categories. This is the evaporative category, where the main cause of tear loss is increased tear evaporation. In the second category, the main cause is reduced tear production.
The diagnosis of dry eye should be very comprehensive. We should evaluate the symptoms first. For this purpose, it is possible to use a questionnaire called OSDI (Ocular Surface Disease Index) or DEQ-5 (Dry Eye Questionnaire). There are, of course, other questionnaires, but OSDI is most often used for its reliability and DEQ-5 for its simplicity.
Second, we should evaluate the stability of the tear film, or its quality. Non Invasive Break Up Time or Fluorescein Break Up Time can be used. Another method is, for example, Thermography, which shows that the surface of the eye cools faster in patients with DED compared to patients without the disease. However, this examination is usually not performed routinely. In practice, it is also possible to use the results of measuring the osmolarity of the tear film. In patients with DED, this value varies between blinking and according to the measurement site. Some studies also point to a difference between the osmolarity of the right and left eyes. If it is greater than 8 mOsm / L, it may be a patient with DED. Other tests for evaluating the stability of the tear film can include evaporation measurements.

Results

DONE: The osmolarity of tears can be evaluated with the TearLab device
DONE: Publication of the study in a peer-reviewed journal
VESELÝ, Petr, Oliver ĎUROVEC, Jana SOKOLOVÁ ŠIDLOVÁ, Petra ZÁDĚROVÁ and Pavel BENEŠ. Current possibilities in conservative treatment of dry eye with eye drops. Czech ophthalmic optics. Brno: Expo Data s.r.o., 2021. ISSN 1211-233X.
IMPLEMENTED: Introduction of tear osmolarity testing methods into clinical and teaching practice (ONOO FNUSA - PlasmaJet)

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