Abstract
Ocular surface tissues are exposed to light and the accompanying photooxidative reactions that produce reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants are important to prevent free radical reactions with unsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes. Similarly, the reactive oxygen species may damage the lipids in the lipid layer of the tear film. Tears contain the water soluble antioxidants, ascorbic acid, uric acid, glutathione, and cysteine, that are capable of scavenging reactive oxygen metabolites.1–3 Recent data suggest that, together. ascorbic acid and uric acid account for about 44% of the total ferric reducing antioxidant activity in tears.4 However, α-tocopherol (vitamin E) is quite lipid soluble and a potential antioxidant for the lipid layer of tears.
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