Role of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Diagnosis of Dry Eye

Abstract

ry eye is a “multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface”. In this prospective cross-sectional study, we will address the key to important question: does the inflammation play any role in pathophysiology of dry eye disease? So, we assessed presence of matrix metalloproteinase-9, an endopeptidase which plays a fundamental role in inflammation. All participants underwent slit lamp examination, Schirmer test, tear film break-up time test, corneal staining and InflammaDry®; a novel test to detect the presence of MMP-9. In this study, forty eyes with dry eye disease were included. Average age of the patients included in this study is 39.45 ± 9.06 years. Majority were female patients constituting 65% of the study population. In this study we found that there were statistically significant correlations between Meibomian glands dysfunction and results of InflammaDry® test.