Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tear film salt levels in normal cats and cats with eye inflammation
By Davis, Kyshia & Townsend, Wendy·Published in Veterinary Ophthalmology·2011·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Tear‐film osmolarity in normal cats and cats with conjunctivitis
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats, some healthy and some with conjunctivitis (an eye condition causing inflammation), were examined to see how their tear film was affected. The study found that while cats with conjunctivitis had faster tear break-up times and lower eye pressure, their tear film osmolarity (a measure of tear concentration) was similar to that of healthy cats. This suggests that conjunctivitis does not significantly change the tear film osmolarity in cats. The tests used were well tolerated by the cats, making them a good option for future examinations.
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Abstract
AbstractObjective To compare the tear‐film osmolarity of normal cats and cats with conjunctivitis.Animal studied The population consisted of shelter, research, and privately owned cats.Procedures Cats were classified as normal or having conjunctivitis. An ophthalmic examination including Schirmer tear test (STT), fluorescein staining, tear‐film break‐up time (TFBUT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and slit‐lamp biomicroscopy of the anterior segment was performed. The severity of conjunctivitis was graded and assigned a numerical score. The Tear LabTMOsmolarity System was utilized to determine the tear‐film osmolarity. Unpairedt‐tests were used to compare tear‐film osmolarity, TFBUT, IOP, and STT of the two groups.Results A total of 93 cats (186 eyes) were examined. There were 37 normal cats (74 eyes) and 39 conjunctivitis cats (78 eyes). The mean age was 2.34 years. There was no statistical difference (P = 0.2065) between the median tear‐film osmolarity of normal cats (328.5 ± 17.94 mOsms/L) and conjunctivitis cats (325.0 ± 24.84 mOsms/L). Cats with conjunctivitis had an accelerated TFBUT (P < 0.0001) and lower IOPs (P < 0.0001) as compared to normal cats. No statistical difference was found between STT values (P = 0.1304).Conclusions The median tear‐film osmolarity of normal cats was 328.5 mOsms/L. Despite the accelerated TFBUT, conjunctivitis did not cause a statistically significant change in tear‐film osmolarity. The Tear LabTMOsmolarity System was easily used and well tolerated by the cats in the study.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-5224.2011.00916.x