Dry eye syndrome (DES) poses a significant challenge for astronauts during space missions, with reports indicating up to 30% of International Space Station (ISS) crew members. The microgravity environment of space alters fluid dynamics, affecting distribution of fluids on the surface of the eye as well as inducing cephalad fluid shifts that can alter tear drainage. Chronic and persistent DES not only impairs visual function, but also compromises the removal of debris, a heightened risk for corneal abrasions in the microgravity environment. Despite the availability of artificial tears on the ISS, the efficacy is challenged by altered fluid dynamics within the bottle and risks of contamination, thereby exacerbating the potential for corneal abrasions. In light of these challenges, there is a pressing need for innovative approaches to address DES in astronauts. Neurostimulation has emerged as a promising technology countermeasure for DES in spaceflight. By leveraging electrical signals to modulate neural function, neurostimulation offers a novel therapeutic avenue for managing DES symptoms. In this paper, we will explore the risk factors and current treatment modalities for DES, highlighting the limitations of existing approaches. Furthermore, we will delve into the novelty and potential of neurostimulation as a countermeasure for DES in future long-duration missions, including those to the Moon and Mars.

UNASSIGNED: This study assesses the diluted Schirmer method\'s effectiveness in collecting tears from dry eye syndrome patients, aiming to identify the most suitable tear collection technique for them.
UNASSIGNED: A prospective study. Tear samples were collected from patients with dry eye syndrome and healthy individuals using two methods: (1) Direct Schirmer Method: Schirmer strips were directly inserted into the eye to collect tears. (2) Diluted Schirmer Method: After instilling physiological saline into the eye and waiting for 30 s to ensure thorough mixing with tears, Schirmer strips were used for collection. Tear samples from both groups were analyzed and compared for total protein and cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α).
UNASSIGNED: (1) The study included 32 participants: 16 with dry eye syndrome (4 males, 12 females, average age 34.92 ± 10.13 years) and 16 healthy controls (5 males, 11 females, average age 32.25 ± 9.87 years). (2) The diluted Schirmer method produced a significantly larger tear volume compared to the direct method (p < 0.05), with lower Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores indicating less discomfort (p < 0.05). (3) The average total protein content of the two groups was 51.70 ± 3.166 ng measured by Direct Schirmer method, and the average total protein content of the Diluted Schirmer method was 50.05 ± 3.263 ng. There was no statistical difference between the two groups. (t = 1.051, p = 0.3098) (4) The concentrations of total tear protein and various cytokines measured by both methods were higher in the dry eye group compared to the normal group, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Both methods reflected consistent changes in tear protein profiles.
UNASSIGNED: The diluted Schirmer method can comfortably collect an adequate volume of tear samples in a short time and consistently reflect changes in tear proteins, making it an effective method for tear collection in patients with dry eye syndrome.

Dry eye syndrome, a form of ocular surface inflammation, and chronic ocular pain are common conditions impacting activities of daily living and quality of life. Oxytocin and secretin are peptide hormones that have been shown to synergistically reduce inflammation in various tissues and attenuate the pain response at both the neuron and brain level. The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and secretin receptor (SCTR) have been found in a wide variety of tissues and organs, including the eye. We reviewed the current literature of in vitro experiments, animal models, and human studies that examine the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive roles of oxytocin and secretin. This review provides an overview of the evidence supporting oxytocin and secretin as the basis for novel treatments of dry eye and ocular pain syndromes.

Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a tear film disorder caused by increased tear evaporation or decreased production. The heavy workload on the eye and the increased usage of digital screens may decrease blink frequency, leading to an increased evaporation rate and an upsurge in the incidence and severity of DES. This study aims to assess the severity of DES symptoms and the risk factors among university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Umm AlQura University to evaluate the severity of DES among students and explore its potential association with digital screen use. Validated questionnaires were used to assess the severity of DES and digital screen usage. The study included 457 participants, of which 13% had symptoms suggestive of severe DES. Furthermore, multiple risk factors had a significant association with the severity of DES, including gender, use of monitor filters, monitor and room brightness, and smoking habits. DES symptoms were prevalent among university students, particularly female students. Although there was no significant association with the duration of screen usage and collage distribution. Other factors however, such as the usage of screen monitors and the brightness of both the monitor and the room, were significantly associated with the severity of DES symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the repeatability of noninvasive break-up time (NIBUT) measurement by keratograph when it is determined from one, two or three partial measurements, and to recommend a suitable methodology for practice. Another goal is to verify that repeated measurements do not affect the measured value.
METHODS: Thirty-eight healthy volunteers (30 women and 8 men) aged between 19 and 50 years old were included in the study, in which only one eye of each volunteer was measured. The study was designed as a prospective one. Each subject adapted to the local conditions of the laboratory for 15 minutes and subsequently underwent two series of NIBUT measurements (test, retest) on an OCULUS 3 Keratograph. The minimum time interval between the two series was 10 minutes, in which each series contained three partial measurements approximately 3 three measurements in the given series. Repeatability was assessed by a Bland-Altman analysis and expressed as a repeatability coefficient. In every case, only the time of the first break-up of the tear film was monitored.
RESULTS: The statistical analysis did not show statistically significant differences both between partial measurements of NIBUT in the individual series (p = 0.92, p = 0.81) and when comparing all six measurements (p = 0.95). The mean values of the partial measurements ranged from 13.6 s to 14.4 s. The repeatability coefficients were found to be 15.0 s, 12.1 s and 10.0 s for methodologies A, B and C, respectively. A supplementary analysis for 12 eyes with low NIBUT (< 10 s) showed statistically significantly better repeatability in this group, with coefficients of 7.0 s (methodology A), 6.0 s (B) and 4.6 s (C).
CONCLUSIONS: Determination of NIBUT from three consecutive measurements (with a sufficient interval of ideally a few minutes) significantly improves repeatability. Such repeated NIBUT measurements do not have a significant effect on the measured value. The mentioned methodology for measuring NIBUT on a keratograph can be recommended for use in practice.

The climacteric heralds a transition from reproductive to non-reproductive life in women, often accompanied by various clinical manifestations such as dry eye, impacting their quality of life. This study focuses on systematically developing and suitability an educational digital booklet to promote eye health practices and prevent problems among postmenopausal women. The methodological approach encompassed semi-structured interviews with women diagnosed with Dry Eye Syndrome (DES), then constructing the material integrating content, script, illustrations, and layout informed by the interview findings. Subsequent validation involved assessment by 24 health experts for content, appearance, and evaluation by a target audience of 22 women. The booklet attained high suitability scores, with a Global Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.96, indicating superior suitability as judged by experts. Additionally, it achieved a Global CVI of 0.98 for validation by the target audience. In conclusion, the educational booklet emerges as a suitable and reliable resource for promoting eye heath among DES and non-syndrome women, offering significant potential for broader application in relevant populations.

UNASSIGNED: Dry eye syndrome is a common ocular disease that causes morbidity, high healthcare burden, and decreased quality of life. In this study, we evaluated the beneficial effects of a standardized extract of small black soybean (EYESOY®) in a benzalkonium chloride (BAC)-induced murine model of dry eye.
UNASSIGNED: Experimental dry eye was induced by instillation of 0.02% BAC on the right eye of the Sprague-Dawley rats. Saline solution or EYESOY were administered orally every day for 8 weeks.
UNASSIGNED: EYESOY significantly improved tear volume in the cornea compared with that in the BAC group. Moreover, EYESOY inhibited damage to the corneal epithelial cells and lacrimal glands by suppressing the oxidative and inflammatory responses in a mouse dry eye model. It also increased the goblet cell density and mucin integrity in the conjunctiva.
UNASSIGNED: Our results suggest that EYESOY has the potential to alleviate dry eye syndrome.

Diabetic patients are at high risk of developing lacrimal gland dysfunction, and the antimalarial drug artesunate (ART) was recently used to induce experimental-induced diabetes mellitus. This study\'s objective is to investigate the lacrimal gland alteration and the effect of ART on experimentally induced diabetes rat models and its related mechanisms. Forty rats were divided into five groups (8 rats/group): healthy control group (HC), diabetic group (DM), 50 mg/kg ART intervention diabetic group [DM + ART (50 mg/kg)], 100 mg/kg ART intervention diabetic group [DM + ART (100 mg/kg)] and 6 U/kg Insulin intervention diabetic group (DM + INS). The morphology of the eyeball and lacrimal gland tissues was determined using hematoxylin and eosin staining. In addition, external lacrimal glands were harvested for electronic microscopic examination, NFκB1, and TNF-α protein expression evaluation by immunohistochemistry and mRNA expression analysis by RT-PCR. Histopathological and ultrastructural changes suggest ART intervention has an improved structural effect. Protein expression of NFκB1 in the DM + ART (100 mg/kg) group was decreased. TNF-α significantly decreased in the DM + ART (50 mg/kg) and insulin groups. We concluded that ART improves structural changes in a lacrimal gland in diabetic rats. The present study provides further evidence of the therapeutic effect of ART on the lacrimal gland of diabetic rats by decreasing the expression of NFκB1 and TNF-α.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease that affects more than 2 million people worldwide. It manifests through vasculopathy, an abnormal immunological response, and fibrosis leading to dysfunction of the multiple organs. The disease is categorized into two subtypes: limited cutaneous SSc and diffuse cutaneous SSc. Scleroderma can affect vital organs with respiratory, cardiac, renal, ocular, and dermatological complications. The ocular manifestations of the disease can occur in the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. Changes in the anterior segment related to the disease include eyelid skin remodeling, dry eye syndrome, and conjunctival abnormalities. The disease\'s impact on the posterior segment of the eye mostly causes pathologies in the retinal microcirculatory system and abnormalities in the optic nerve. This review provides detailed insights into ocular complications associated with scleroderma.

Pterygium is a common inflammatory-proliferative disease characterized by the invasion of degeneratively altered fibrovascular tissue into the cornea. This literature review analyzes the etiological factors and pathogenetic concepts of its development, describes modern methods of diagnostics and surgical treatment of pterygium, and pays particular attention to the assessment of structural and functional changes in the cornea occurring during the growth of pterygium and after its excision.
Птеригиум является распространенным воспалительно-пролиферативным заболеванием, характеризующимся инвазией дегенеративно измененной фиброваскулярной ткани в роговицу. В представленном обзоре литературы проанализированы этиологические факторы и патогенетические концепции формирования птеригиума, описаны современные методы его диагностики и хирургического лечения. Особое внимание уделено оценке структурно-функциональных изменений роговицы, происходящих при росте птеригиума и после его иссечения.