Insights into the Lid Margin: Characterization of Membrane Associated Mucins in Ocular Surface Disease

Inclusion Criteria: 

All subjects must be:

oAble to understand and sign an informed consent and HIPAA privacy document.

o18 years of age or older.

oAble and willing to follow protocol instructions.

Subjects will be telephone screened to determine if the subject falls into either Group 1: Dry Eye or Group 2: Normal, depending on the type of subjects still needed to meet enrollment goals.

Group 1 Dry Eye Disease Inclusion:

OSDI score > 33 (administered via telephone screener)

Group 2 Normal Inclusion:

OSDI score < 10 (administered via telephone screener)

All subjects that meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria and consent to participating in the study will be enrolled. 

Data obtained will then be segregated based on clinical findings for later analysis.

Exclusion Criteria: 

1.     Under the age of 18

2.Current contact lens wearer (any wear of contact lenses in the past 3 months)

3.Use of any of the following ophthalmic medication within 30 days: antibiotics, anti-fungal, anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, anti-glaucoma, lifitegrast, restasis

4.Use of artificial tears within 2 days of study visit

5.Active ocular infection or acute allergic conjunctivitis

6.Transmissible or contagious disease such as HIV, TB, measles, meningitis, etc.

7.Significant conjunctival scarring, obvious meibomian gland dysfunction, or other serious ocular condition

8.History of ocular surgery in the past 12 months

9.Participation in a clinical trial involving a drug or device in the past 30 days

10.Pregnant or nursing by self-report