Impact of Ocular Surface Temperature on Tear Characteristics: Current Insights

Infrared (IR) thermographic assessment of ocular surface temperature (OST) is gaining interest as an adjuvant method to evaluate the ocular surface. It is a quick, non-invasive test that causes minimal, if any, discomfort to patients. The purpose of this article was to summarize research on how OST relates to tear film parameters and dry eye disease (DED). PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus searches for specific terms were carried out and eligible articles reviewed. OST of the central cornea is similar to 34-35 degrees C when measured as a single time-point (typically right after a blink). Dynamically, OST values decrease over time at a rate of similar to -0.01 degrees C/s in healthy eyes. Single time-point OST values are impacted by temperature, with positive correlations noted with both ambient (1 degrees C down arrow results in similar to 0.16 degrees C down arrow in OST) and body (1 degrees C up arrow results in similar to 0.98 degrees C up arrow in OST) temperature. Single time-point OST values are also impacted by tear parameters, with negative correlations noted with tear break-up time (TBUT; r=-0.61) and positive correlations with lipid layer thickness (similar to r=0.50). Dynamically, the rate of OST cooling over the interblink period correlates with various tear parameters including Schirmer's test scores ( r=-0.39), tear meniscus height (r=-0.52) and the rate of tear film break-up (r=-0.74). These data imply that OST decreases more rapidly in individuals with greater tear production, larger tear volumes, and shorter tear break-up times (faster rates of tear film break-up). There are discrepancies in relationships between OST and DED across studies, which is not surprising given that DED encompasses a number of different phenotypic presentations. However, most studies found that OST decreases at a more rapid rate in DED vs. control groups. As such, cooling rate may have utility as a screening tool in DED in combination with established point-of-care tests.

Automated summary

Infrared thermographic assessment of ocular surface temperature is a non-invasive and quick method to evaluate the ocular surface. Research has shown that OST is related to tear film parameters and dry eye disease, with OST decreasing at a faster rate in individuals with DED. This suggests that OST may be a useful screening tool for DED in combination with established point-of-care tests.