Fig. 4

Corneal fluorescein test, fluorescein score, and eye closing ratio. a Cornea was examined using a slit-lamp microscope with a cobalt-blue filter after placing a drop of fluorescein (0.5% Fluorescein Faure) in the right eye of the animals. Note the punctuate keratitis at d7, d14, and d21 (red arrows). b Fluorescein staining was quantified at d0, d7, d14, and d21 after surgery. c The eye closing ratio was calculated by measuring the ratio of width/height. ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001 relative to the sham group (sham animals: n = 34 at d0, n = 3 1 at d7, n = 27 at d14, and n = 28 at d21; DED animals n = 40 at d0, n = 28 at d7, n = 34 at d14, and n = 33 at d21). Results are expressed as the mean ± SEM from d0 to d21 post-surgery