Effect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative method

Abstract Background To explore a novel semi-automatic quantitative method for detecting lid-wiper epitheliopathy (LWE) and analyze its impact on the distribution of corneal epithelial thickness (CET). Methods A total of 37 eyes from 37 adults were included in this study. The lid wipers were stained...

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Main Authors: Jingjian Ye, Meng Lin, Xuzhou Chen, Yuhang Yang, Jue Lin, Di Ma, Ziya Liu, Liang Hu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-03-01
Series:BMC Ophthalmology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-03918-y
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author Jingjian Ye
Meng Lin
Xuzhou Chen
Yuhang Yang
Jue Lin
Di Ma
Ziya Liu
Liang Hu
author_facet Jingjian Ye
Meng Lin
Xuzhou Chen
Yuhang Yang
Jue Lin
Di Ma
Ziya Liu
Liang Hu
author_sort Jingjian Ye
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background To explore a novel semi-automatic quantitative method for detecting lid-wiper epitheliopathy (LWE) and analyze its impact on the distribution of corneal epithelial thickness (CET). Methods A total of 37 eyes from 37 adults were included in this study. The lid wipers were stained with lissamine green strips, and the stained areas were recorded using a digital slit-lamp biomicroscopy and analyzed using ImageJ software. Factors such as age, sex, and refraction were included as variables that influenced LWE. The CET was divided into 25 regions and recorded using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results Methodological consistency and repeatability were verified through intra- and inter-operator intraclass correlation coefficients, with values of 0.889 and 0.922, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, and spherical equivalent refraction, a negative correlation was observed between LWE and epithelial thickness. Specifically, negative correlations were observed in the nasal, subnasal, and inferior regions within the 2–5 mm range; subnasal and infratemporal regions within the 5–7 mm range; and the infratemporal region within the 7–9 mm range. Conclusions This study validated a novel method for assessing the severity of LWE by quantitatively analyzing the LWE area. Additionally, LWE is associated with thinning of the inferior corneal epithelium.
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spelling doaj-art-fed285b1d1014c95aeefb1a1bbda14a12025-08-20T02:59:19ZengBMCBMC Ophthalmology1471-24152025-03-012511810.1186/s12886-025-03918-yEffect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative methodJingjian Ye0Meng Lin1Xuzhou Chen2Yuhang Yang3Jue Lin4Di Ma5Ziya Liu6Liang Hu7National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background To explore a novel semi-automatic quantitative method for detecting lid-wiper epitheliopathy (LWE) and analyze its impact on the distribution of corneal epithelial thickness (CET). Methods A total of 37 eyes from 37 adults were included in this study. The lid wipers were stained with lissamine green strips, and the stained areas were recorded using a digital slit-lamp biomicroscopy and analyzed using ImageJ software. Factors such as age, sex, and refraction were included as variables that influenced LWE. The CET was divided into 25 regions and recorded using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results Methodological consistency and repeatability were verified through intra- and inter-operator intraclass correlation coefficients, with values of 0.889 and 0.922, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, and spherical equivalent refraction, a negative correlation was observed between LWE and epithelial thickness. Specifically, negative correlations were observed in the nasal, subnasal, and inferior regions within the 2–5 mm range; subnasal and infratemporal regions within the 5–7 mm range; and the infratemporal region within the 7–9 mm range. Conclusions This study validated a novel method for assessing the severity of LWE by quantitatively analyzing the LWE area. Additionally, LWE is associated with thinning of the inferior corneal epithelium.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-03918-yCorneal epithelial thicknessLid-wiper epitheliopathySemiautomatic quantitative method
spellingShingle Jingjian Ye
Meng Lin
Xuzhou Chen
Yuhang Yang
Jue Lin
Di Ma
Ziya Liu
Liang Hu
Effect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative method
BMC Ophthalmology
Corneal epithelial thickness
Lid-wiper epitheliopathy
Semiautomatic quantitative method
title Effect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative method
title_full Effect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative method
title_fullStr Effect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative method
title_full_unstemmed Effect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative method
title_short Effect of lid-wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution: a novel semiautomatic quantitative method
title_sort effect of lid wiper epitheliopathy on the corneal epithelial thickness distribution a novel semiautomatic quantitative method
topic Corneal epithelial thickness
Lid-wiper epitheliopathy
Semiautomatic quantitative method
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-025-03918-y
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