Tear Proteomics of Children and Young Adult Soft Contact Lens, Orthokeratology and Spectacle Wearers – A Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose

Contact lens complications occur more often in older teenagers and young adults compared to children. This study explored differences in tear proteomics between children and young adults wearing soft contact lens (SCL), orthokeratology or spectacles for >3 years.

Methods

Twelve children and 12 sex- and correction-matched young adults were enrolled. Tears were collected via Schirmer strips for tear proteomic analysis using mass spectrometry. Proteome Discoverer was used for protein identification. Label-Free Quantitation was generated using Scaffold software; Fisher’s Exact tests were used to compare proteins by age and correction groups. Generalized linear models were used to assess differences in overall protein levels by age and correction groups. A secondary analysis of proteins presented in >50% of samples of each group was conducted using the R/Bioconductor limma package.

Results

There were 385 proteins present only in young adults while 183 were unique in children. There were 528 unique proteins to SCL, 96 to orthokeratology and 149 to spectacle wearers. Based on Fisher’s Exact analyses, 126 proteins were higher in young adults than children (all P < 0.048). Forty-seven protein levels were higher in SCL compared to orthokeratology (all P < 0.01), 33 protein levels were higher in SCL compared to spectacles (all P < 0.01), 15 protein levels were higher in orthokeratology compared to spectacle wearers (all P < 0.01). Based on generalized linear models, young adults had higher overall protein levels than children (P = 0.001), SCL had higher protein levels than spectacle wearers (P < 0.001) but no differences were found between orthokeratology and spectacle wearers (P = 0.79). Based on the secondary analysis, only Antileukoproteinase was higher in the young adult orthokeratology group compared to other groups (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Tear protein type and abundance differ by age and correction. Further research is needed to understand the effects of contact lens correction in children and young adults on the tear proteome.

Keywords:

• Mass spectrometry
• tear proteins
• contact lens wear
• youth population
• inflammatory response

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Minal Bhadane for recruitment for this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data available within the article or its supplementary materials.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [T35EY007088 (PI: Laura Frishman; awardee: LJ); NIH S10 OD021758-01A1 (MK, KB)].