Potential Treatment Targets for Dry Eye Disease

People with dry eye disease can’t produce enough tears to lubricate their eyes. They use various types of drops to keep the eyes lubricated, but when eyes are dry, the cornea is more susceptible to injury. “We have drugs, but they only work well in about 10% to 15% of patients,” said senior investigator Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis. In this animal-based study, researchers identified potential cellular targets for treatment that appear different in dry eyes than in healthy eyes. By tracking the movements of stem cells in a mouse eye, researchers were able to trace the cells as they differentiated into corneal cells and migrated to the center of the cornea, providing clues about how the cells work to help corneal injuries heal. Tens of millions of people around the world, with an estimated 15 million in the United States alone, endure eye pain and blurred vision as a result of complications and injury associated with dry eye disease. With this newly discovered target, researchers hope to someday more successfully treat or even prevent those injuries. The study was published online Jan. 2, 2023, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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