Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, better known as “dry eye”, is an annoying and sometimes painful condition in which the eyes often itch and burn because a person cannot produce sufficient tears to bathe and cool the eyes. Ophthalmologists usually diagnose dry eye through a series of tests that often analyze the tear fluid and its interaction with the surface of the eye, but environmental conditions such as ambient humidity and temperature can skew the results.
A group of bioengineering students at Rice University in Houston, Texas, tackled this question for a group senior project and came up with “ClimaTears”, an innovative device that controls humidity, temperature, and airflow around the eyes. ClimaTears consist of a modified pair of standard laboratory goggles, fitted with an air hose to adjust the environment around the eys, and embedded data sensors to monitor these conditions as well as blink rate. Ophthalmologists can use ClimaTears to assist in the diagnosis of dry eye, and then after a treatment has been prescribed and implemented, they can use ClimaTears during follow-up, attempting to exacerbate the symptoms by adjusting the conditions around the eye.
Below, the Rice team members talk more about ClimaTears:
Article @ Rice University: Yes! A dry eye in the house