Breaking into tears with microrheology to design custom eye drops
New method reveals intricate behaviors of micron-sized particles in real, artificial tears

Date:
July 11, 2023
Source:
American Institute of Physics
Summary:
In Physics of Fluids, Vega et al. researched human tears at the
micron level to reveal new ways of customizing artificial tears
to address individual symptoms of dry eye disease. The detailed
insights they gained about the composition and behavior of tears
could also apply to the study of ocular pathogens as well as other
biological fluids. The authors collected healthy human tears and
tested 10 different formulations of artificial tears and applied
microrheology methods using dynamic light scattering.


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FULL STORY ========================================================================== Compared to artificial tears, or eye drops, human tears are significantly
more complex liquids, with a wide range of components including lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, water, and salt. It is this complex mixture
that gives tears the perfect thickness and ability to moisturize the eye,
a design that is hard to replicate with fewer ingredients.

In Physics of Fluids, from AIP Publishing, Vega et al. researched human
tears at the micron level to reveal new ways of customizing artificial
tears to address individual symptoms of dry eye disease. The detailed
insights they gained about the composition and behavior of tears could
also apply to the study of ocular pathogens, as well as other biological fluids.

"Tailoring formulations and characteristics to meet individual
requirements are key considerations in achieving efficacy," author
Juan F. Vega said. "The ultimate goal is to provide an effective and personalized solutionthat alleviates dry eye syndrome." The authors
collected healthy human tears and tested 10 different formulations
of artificial tears, probing these liquids to understand properties
such as viscosity (flow), elasticity and stability and the effects of
different concentrations of components in the liquids. They also tested
the behavior of the liquids under stress, such as when the eye blinks.

To study the tiny volumes of liquid in tears, the authors applied
microrheology methods, which monitor the movement of micron-sized
particles in liquids, using a technique that measures how light reflects
off particles suspended in liquid to reveal how the liquid behaves in
different scenarios, known as dynamic light scattering, or DLS.

The authors' unique application of these methods to the study of tears
has implications both for the fundamental knowledge of microbiological
fluids and for the design of functional materials with specific desired properties, Vega said.

"The goal of investigating these characteristics is to understand the
behavior of the fluid and gain insights into its performance and potential applications -- for example, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or food -- where understanding the viscoelastic properties helps in formulating products
with desirable textures, stability, and flow behavior," Vega said.

The authors plan to continue to explore more complex formulations of
artificial tears and extend their work to the study of human tears with different pathologies.

"Through careful tuning, artificial tears can be tailored to meet specific needs, such as stability, lubrication, and moisturization, and mimicking natural tears," Vega said. "Ultimately, this work aims to enhance the
comfort and well-being of individuals experiencing dry eye symptoms."
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Source: Materials provided by American_Institute_of_Physics. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Juan F. Vega, Mercedes Ferna'ndez, Andre's Cardil, Itxaso Calafel,
Itziar
Marti'nez-Soroa, Ane Pe'rez Sarriegui, Arantxa Acera. Shedding
light on the viscoelastic behavior of artificial and human tears:
A microrheological approach. Physics of Fluids, 2023; 35 (7) DOI:
10.1063/ 5.0152482 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230711133108.htm

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