Brief review
Aging and the lacrimal system
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The lacrimal system consists of the lacrimal glands, the tear film in contact with the conjunctiva and cornea, and the lacrimal drainage system through the nasolacrimal duct to the nose. In this review the age related changes in this system will be given, including tear chemistry of the tear film. Certain aspects of tear physiology change with age, such as reflex secretion by the lacrimal gland, tear volume, and tear film stability, whereas others remain more or less unchanged, such as basal tear production.
The reflex secretion of tears, as measured by Schirmer's I method
(without anaesthesia), decreases significantly with increasing age as
already was observed by Schirmer1 in 1903 and by many others thereafter.2-20 The age groups investigated mostly
cover the 20-80 age range and the reduction in Schirmer values from the youngest to the oldest age group is about 70%. In contrast with
these findings Xu and Tsubota21 and
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This article has been cited by other articles:
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Salvi, S M, Akhtar, S, Currie, Z
(2006). Ageing changes in the eye.. Postgrad. Med. J.
82: 581-587
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