Purpose: Recently, it has become apparent that tear secretions are substantially involved in temperature changes in the corneal surface, and the importance of the ocular surface temperature has gained attention. In the present study, we evaluated the surface temperature of pseudophakic eyes to investigate the influence of age on the ocular surface temperature in the elderly.
Methods: We enrolled 69 patients with cataract who had a corrected visual acuity of ≥0.8 1 month after cataract surgery (98 eyes, 25 males, 44 females; mean age, 73.7±5.2 years). The ocular surface temperature immediately after eyelid opening and the changes in ocular surface temperature during 10-second eyelid opening were measured using an anterior segment ocular surface thermographer. In addition, the non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) was measured using the tear interferometry. Based on NIBUT data, patients were divided into two groups-the unstable tear group (NIBUT ≥5 sec) and the stable tear group (NIBUT>5 sec).
Results: A significant negative correlation was observed between age and the ocular surface temperature measured immediately after eyelid opening (r=-0.222, p<0.05; Pearson correlation coefficient). No sex differences were noted in terms of the ocular surface temperature. The changes in ocular surface temperature showed significant correlation with age (r=0.239, p<0.05), gender (r=0.352, p<0.001), and NIBUT (=0.619, p<0.0001). With regard to tear dynamics, compared with patients in the stable tear group, those in the unstable group represented a significantly higher number of younger patients (p<0.05), number of females (p<0.001; unpaired t-test), and individuals with greater changes in ocular surface temperature (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The results demonstrated that the ocular surface temperature in patients with pseudophakic eyes aged ≥60 years was correlated with age. Research on the ocular surface temperature should consider the effect of aging.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 124: 472-478, 2020.