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The displayed medium sensitivity and specificity, and good positive predictive value of the LIPCOF test support the use of LIPCOF grading as a simple, quick and non-invasive dry eye screening tool.

A survey amongst ophthalmologists and general medical practitioners from nine countries in Eastern Europe and the Middle East was conducted to estimate the percentage of patients presenting with a red eye and to examine differential diagnosis and treatment. Practitioners recorded brief details of every patient seen and detailed information concerning signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis and treatment for all patients presenting with a red eye during 20 consecutive days in the period between May and September 2004. Red eyes accounted for approximately 15% of consultations with ophthalmologists and almost 6% with general medical practitioners. Allergic conjunctivitis was the most common diagnosis (35%), followed by dry eye (25%) and bacterial conjunctivitis (24%). General medical practitioners were far more likely to prescribe a combination topical antibiotic and steroid preparation than ophthalmologists. This survey illustrates that red eye remains a very important problem for both ophthalmologists and general medical practitioners. Identification of dry eye as a common cause of red eye symptoms and more appropriate treatment of dry eye, allergic conjunctivitis and viral conjunctivitis are key messages to emerge.

A B S T R A C T Ocular graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurs in more than one-half of patients who develop chronic GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), causing prolonged morbidity that affects activities of daily living and quality of life. Here we provide an expert review of ocular GVHD in a collaboration between transplantation physicians and ophthalmologists through the Late Effects and Quality of Life Working Committee of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research and the Transplant Complications Working Party of the European Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Recent updates in ocular GVHD regarding pathophysiology, preclinical models, risk factors, prevention, screening, diagnosis, response criteria, evaluation measures, and treatment are discussed. Ocular GVHD involves at least 3 biological processes: lacrimal gland dysfunction, meibomian gland dysfunction, and corneoconjunctival inflammation. Preclinical models have identified several novel pathogenic mechanisms, including the renin angiotensin system and endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling, which can be targeted by therapeutic agents. Numerous studies have identified reliable tests for establishing diagnosis and response assessment of ocular GVHD. The efficacy of systemic and topical treatment for ocular GVHD is summarized. It is important that all health professionals caring for HCT recipients have adequate knowledge of ocular GVHD to provide optimal care.

SUMMARY The aim was to determine feasibility and reliability of noninvasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) assessment using handheld lipid layer examination instrument, and to compare it with standard tear break-up time (TBUT) test. Fifty patients were enrolled, 31 with and 19 without dry eye symptoms. Schein questionnaire was used to assess dry eye symptoms. During examination, three NIBUT measurements were performed on each eye using handheld instrument, followed by three TBUT measurements. Receiver operating characteristic curves, sensitivity, specificity and logistic regression analysis were generated. Median NIBUT values were significantly shorter in dry eye symptom group than in control group in all three measurements (9, 8 and 8 s vs . 21, 22 and 21 s; p<0.001). TBUT values showed no significant difference between the groups in the first measurement (p=0.053), but the values were significantly shorter in dry eye symptom group in second and third measurements (p=0.020). The cutoff value to distinguish patients with symptoms of dry eye from control group was 12 seconds for NIBUT and 8 seconds for TBUT, with NIBUT having significantly higher sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and positive predictive value. NIBUT, measured by handheld lipid layer examination instrument, was superior to TBUT in detecting dry eye.