Bacteria and Dry Eye: A Narrative Review

(1) Background: Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface, the incidence of which has been increasing sharply. The pathogenesis of dry eye, especially in terms of the bacterial flora, has drawn great attention. Additionally, the potential treatment methods need to be explored. (2) Methods: We reviewed more than 100 studies and summarized them briefly in a review. (3) Results: We summarized the bacterial communities found on the ocular surface in the general population and patients with dry eye and found a relationship between dry eye and antibiotic therapy. We identified the possible mechanisms of bacteria in the development of dry eye by discussing factors such as the destruction of the antibacterial barrier, infectious diseases, microbiome homeostasis, inflammatory factors on the ocular surface and vitamin deficiency. (4) Conclusion: We systematically reviewed the recent studies to summarize the bacterial differences between patients with dry eye and the general population and brought up several possible mechanisms and possible treatment targets.