2.2. Sample collection
Both eyes of the patients diagnosed with AC were screened, and the eye with severer symptoms was sampled for sequencing. The conjunctival impression samples were collected and stored using a previously described protocol.10,12 Briefly, a sterile semicircle MF membrane filter (REF: HAWP01300, 0.45 lm in diameter; Merck Millipore, Burlington, MA, USA) was placed on the inferior bulbar conjunctiva for 10 seconds. The membrane was then immediately placed in a sterile tube with 300 µl of Tissue and Cell Lysis Solution (Epicentre, Ambleside, UK) and stored at -80℃.