An insight on the eye bacterial microbiota and its role on dry eye disease

Abstract

The human ocular surface hosts a bacterial assemblage that integrates a diverse and complex microbiome. This bacterial microbiota is part of a healthy eye and plays a protective role in it. However, this ocular bacterial assemblage may alter the ocular surface inflammation response and can influence the development and progression of dry eye disease. For this reason, the present review describes the changes generated on the ocular surface by bacterial assemblages during the development of dry eye disease. Likewise, the interaction of this microbiota with the other inflammatory factors that influence the development of this disease is analyzed, as well as the use of treatments focused on modifying the bacteria on the ocular surface.

Keywords: Dry eye disease; bacterial assemblages; microbiota; ocular homeostasis; probiotics.