Infrared thermography of the tear film in dry eye

Abstract

Infrared ocular thermograms were recorded for a group of 36 dry eye patients and for 27 age- and sex-matched controls. Mean ocular surface temperature was greater in the dry eye group (32.38 ± 0.69°C) compared with the control group (31.94 ± 0.54°C; P<0.01). In addition, there was a greater variation of temperatures across the ocular surface in the dry eye group, illustrated by the difference in temperature between the limbus and the centre of the cornea (0.64 ± 0.20 °C in dry eye patients compared with 0.41 ± 0.20°C in the control group; p<0.001). This parameter was also shown to be greater in dry eye patients who displayed either a fast tear break-up time or a poor Schirmer's test result. Infrared thermography is a non-invasive and objective technique that may prove a useful research tool for study of the tear film, its deficiencies and its various treatment modalities.