Ocular Surface Microbiome

University of Washington

Status: Completed

Conditions: Dry Eye Syndromes

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT02298881

1R01EY022038-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

43018

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to collect samples from the surface of eyelids to try to grow and identify bacteria or fungus that might be present, and to try to understand why people have dry eye symptoms.

Full description

"Dry eye" is a very common eye condition, which may or may not be caused by specific microorganisms that live on the surface of the eye. In this study, a combination of tissue culture and molecular biology techniques will be used to identify every microbe (bacteria, fungus, or virus) on the surface of eyes of people with dry eye syndrome, as well as a 'control' group of people who don't have dry eye disease.

Enrollment: 80 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Subjects with ocular surface discomfort with an Ocular Surface Disease Index score of greater than 60
• Subjects with and Ocular Surface disease Index score less than 30
• Males and females age 18 or older

Exclusion criteria

• Contact lens wear
• Use of oral or topical antibiotics in past 6 months
• Use of prescription eye medication in past 6 months
• Penetrating ocular or keratoplasty surgery in last 12 months
• Children under the age of 18

Trial design

80 participants in 2 patient groups

Dry eye group

Description:

People with dry eye symptoms

Non-dry eye group

Description:

People with no dry eye symptoms