Ocular surface microbiota in patients with varying degrees of dry eye severity

Abstract

AIM: To elucidate the profiles of commensal bacteria on the ocular surfaces of patients with varying severity of dry eye (DE). METHODS: The single-center, prospective, case-control, observational study categorized all participants into three distinct groups: 1) control group (n=61), 2) mild DE group (n=56), and 3) moderate-to-severe DE group (n=82). Schirmer's tear secretion strips were used, and the bacterial microbiota was analyzed using 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing. RESULTS: The three groups had significant differences in alpha diversity: the control group had the highest richness (Chao1, Faith's phylogenetic diversity), the mild DE group showed the highest diversity (Shannon, Simpson), and the moderate-to-severe DE group had the lowest of the above-mentioned indices. DE severity was positively correlated with a reduction in beta diversity of the microbial community, with the moderate-to-severe DE group exhibiting the lowest beta diversity. Linear discriminant analysis effect size presented distinct dominant taxa that significantly differed between each. Furthermore, the exacerbation of DE corresponded with the enrichment of certain pathogenic bacteria, as determined by random forest analysis. CONCLUSION: As DE severity worsens, microbial community diversity tends to decrease. DE development corresponds with changes in microbial constituents, primarily characterized by reduced microbial diversity and a more homogenous species composition.