The tear fluid is checked for specific substances that can tell whether someone has a disease. This fluid is usually analyzed for eye problems and inflammatory values. “But now we are going to see whether we also see indications of neurological disorders,” says Marlies Gijs of the University Clinic for Ophthalmology in Maastricht.
Volume problem
Not much has been done yet, because there was a ‘volume problem’. “One drop is not enough. If you do research with blood, for example, you need a whole tube to check it properly. Such an analysis is not possible with one drop.”
But the equipment is now much more sensitive, says Gijs. “We also collected a lot of tears during the corona period – then we were also able to detect the CovSars virus in tear fluid.”
‘Mirror from the inside’
That this is possible does not surprise ophthalmologist Piet Meurs of the Eindhoven Eye Hospital. “Tear fluid is the mirror of the inside of our body,” he tells Editie NL.
The moisture also has an important function. “It protects the cornea.” This is the front layer of the eye, which also transmits light. It is also important for protecting the rest of the eye. “It contains several antibodies that protect the eye against external infections.”
And it therefore contains valuable information that can tell something about your health. “You can actually regard tear fluid as a bit of blood, only it is much easier to obtain. You don’t have to prick someone in the arm,” says Meurs. “It wouldn’t surprise me if in the future we can all read diseases from the fluid.”
Breakthrough
That future may be near. “We were able to find the same proteins in the tear fluid that were also increased in people with Alzheimer’s, people who were already more seriously ill. That is really a breakthrough,” says Gijs. “We’re doing a confirmatory study now, but it’s very hopeful.” The hope is that in addition to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease can soon be diagnosed in this way.
It works as follows: you get a kind of thin, paper-like strip that you slide a very small part behind your lower eyelid. It remains there for a few minutes to absorb enough tear fluid. It sounds unpleasant, but the alternatives for diagnosing are much more intensive.
Cerebrospinal fluid reduction
Alzheimer’s is currently diagnosed on the basis of memory tests, scans and a cerebrospinal fluid sample, often with a spinal tap. “That is drastic and can cause complications. Most patients are already on blood thinners and that entails even more risks. As a result, it is not done so often and people are reluctant. In addition, you can only treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.” and cannot cure the disease.”
In order to make the diagnosis, a tear fluid examination would be a lot more accessible. “We ultimately want to use it as a diagnostic method, a bit like a pregnancy test. Ideally, we would make tear strips, which would allow the doctor to see the result immediately.”
Delayed result
For now it is not that far yet. Now the tear fluid must first be sent to the laboratory, which results in a delayed result. “But it is much more useful than reading diseases from the cerebrospinal fluid.”
2023-11-24 17:00:33
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