Abstract

LOPEZ GARCIA, JS; GARCIA LOZANO, I  and  MARTINEZ GARCHITORENA, J. A study of lacunar folds in relation to the  etiology and severity of dry eye. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol [online]. 2004, vol.79, n.4, pp.169-175. ISSN 0365-6691.

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic value of studying lacunar folds in relation to the different etiologies responsible for dry-eye syndrome.. Methods: We present a prospective study of 206 eyes from 106 patients (38 males and 68 females). In all patients the abduction degree was measured after instilling a fluorescein drop, which makes lacunar folds disappear. We divided the patients into ten etiological groups applying Madrid classification criteria. Patients were also divided into four groups according to clinical severity. Results: We found the early disappearance of lacunar folds was more prevalent among patients with immunological dry eye. Early disappearance was less frequent in patients with tantalic, pharmacological, inflammatory and traumatic dry eye. The folds disappeared more rapidly in patients with greater clinical severity. Conclusions: The early disappearance of lacunar folds is a sign of conjunctival retraction manifest in patients with dry eye syndrome . The degree of conjunctival retraction degree varies according to the dry eye etiology and severity of the symptoms.

Keywords : Lacunar fold; dry eye; conjunctival fold; conjunctival retraction.