Homeostasis and defense at the surface of the eye. The conjunctival microbiota.

The literature on ocular microbiome has grown tremendously over the past decade, and our knowledge of the different aspects and roles in homeostasis and protection is continuously growing. The development of 16S rRNA sequencing has allowed the field to characterize communities of bacteria in health and ocular disease. Efforts should continue to further elucidate the interplay between microbiome and key players, such as age, comorbidities, and contact lens usage in order to have better control of the sight threatening complications.