Ocular surface oxidative stress, MMP-9, and corneal neuroimmune alterations in allergic conjunctivitis with dry eye: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To investigate the associations among ocular surface oxidative stress, MMP-9-associated barrier dysfunction, and corneal nerve alterations in patients with allergic conjunctivitis-associated dry eye. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, participants were classified into healthy controls (HC), patients with allergic conjunctivitis (AC), and patients with AC-associated dry eye (AC + DE). Ocular surface symptoms and signs, tear film function, corneal fluorescein staining, and Results: Compared with patients with AC alone, those with AC + DE exhibited higher Ocular Surface Disease Index scores, shorter tear film break-up time, lower Schirmer I test values, and more severe corneal fluorescein staining (all Conclusions: Patients with AC + DE exhibited greater oxidative stress imbalance, higher MMP-9 levels, impaired tear film function, and more pronounced corneal neuroimmune alterations than patients with AC alone. The observed relationships among oxidative stress markers, MMP-9, and tear film parameters suggest that these abnormalities may be interconnected within the AC + DE phenotype. Tear oxidative stress-related biomarkers may also help distinguish AC + DE from AC alone and warrant further evaluation in longitudinal studies.