淚液結晶形成於不同滲透壓及 pH 值狀況下之特性分析

早期乾眼症和過敏性結膜炎有一定的相似程度，造成無法正確區別診斷，或者限制於儀器與設備的不足導致錯誤判斷而延誤治療。淚液在眼球表面中扮演著一個保護角色，並且與健康判斷有關，會隨著疾病的不同造成淚液量、淚液膜破裂時間、杯狀細胞數量、滲透壓和 pH 值…等產生改變。因此分析淚液與疾病的相關性成為具有挑戰性的研究。 此研究利用不同條件的 NaCl 溶液刺激淚液，反覆沖洗小鼠眼球表面後收取淚液樣品。之後在溫度 23±2℃、相對溼度 45±2%的環境下使其風乾並觀察結晶變化。 結果發現 Osmolarity 從 330mOsm /L 開始後，tear ferning 開始有顯著的變化。而在 pH 值 6.5 至 8.0 四個區間中發現，tear ferning 並沒有顯著的差異。 淚液結晶之優點在於利用便利取得且少量的檢體標本，和可以取代昂貴的實驗儀器，並可在相對快速的操作下，提供和疾病對應的臨床診斷輔助判讀。本研究結果證實了以前的發現，並且確定了淚液與疾病的關係，未來仍可朝這方面拓展研究來幫助臨床診斷。

Previous reports and experiences had indicated that dry eye holds some similarity to allergic conjunctivitis to some extents, resulting in difficulties for differential diagnosis due to deficiency of instruments and may defer proper in time treatments. Tear film on ocular surface pays a protective role and may be used as a diagnostic index, based on changes in tear volume, tear film breakup time, osmolarity, pH value, and its related goblet cell density and quantity under different disease conditions. This study investigated the environmental requirements and factors that may determine tern ferning formation. The results showed that tear osmolarity over 330mOsm /L became influential for ferning formation, while pH values did not contribute to determine the extent of ferning formation. Using tear ferning test is advantageous as it is a simple procedure, cheap, quick, and can be performed without expensive instruments. The results of tear ferning tests can be used as references for clinical diagnosis. The results of this study indicates the potential of tear ferning test and would prompt further investigations towards its application in many other disease diagnosis.