Eye care news – Protecting dry eye disease patients from corneal injury

A new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine provides insight on protecting dry eye patients from corneal injury.

The research, which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlighted that patients with dry eye disease are more susceptible to injury of the cornea due to tear deficiency.

Scientists analysed the genes expressed by the cornea in mouse models of dry eye disease, as well as diabetes, ageing and homeostasis.

They found that in mice with dry eye disease, the cornea activated expression of the SPARC gene. Higher levels of the SPARC protein were connected with improved corneal healing.