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Breakup and Dewetting of the Corneal Mucus Layer

An Update

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Book cover Lacrimal Gland, Tear Film, and Dry Eye Syndromes 2

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 438))

Abstract

The normal precorneal tear film usually remains intact between consecutive blinks, but holes begin to appear and grow at random spots in about 10–60 sec when blinking is prevented. Although the exact mechanism of the tear film breakup has eluded our understanding, it is certain that the breakup is secondary to the nonwettability of the corneal surface. We had earlier proposed a mechanism based on the possibility of the rupture and dewetting of the precorneal mucus layer due to the long-range van der Waals forces.1–4 The tear breakup was thought to be triggered by the “hydrophobicity,” or nonwettability, of the underlying corneal epithelial surface devoid of its mucus covering.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology at Kanpur, Kanpur, India

    Ashutosh Sharma

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  1. Ashutosh Sharma
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    David A. Sullivan  & Darlene A. Dartt  & 

  2. Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Michele A. Meneray

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© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Sharma, A. (1998). Breakup and Dewetting of the Corneal Mucus Layer. In: Sullivan, D.A., Dartt, D.A., Meneray, M.A. (eds) Lacrimal Gland, Tear Film, and Dry Eye Syndromes 2. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 438. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5359-5_39

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5359-5_39

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7445-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-5359-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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