hydroxyethylcellulose and Dry-Eye-Syndromes

In an open, one-eye controlled study the efficacy of a new, non-preserved artificial tear (sodium chloride 0.34% W/W, hydroxyethylcellulose 0.44% W/W), stored in single-use disposable units (Minims, Smith and Nephew) was compared to a variety of other tear substitutes in 30 patients who were currently applying artificial tears to both eyes. It was found that the new drop was tolerated well by the majority of patients with 19 subjects (63%) preferring them to their existing medication. There was a significant reduction in the overall rose bengal staining pattern and also in the stain uptake of the medial conjunctiva between the first and second visits in the Minims treated eyes, but not in the eyes treated with the other drops (P < 0.05). There was also a significant improvement in the patients' subjective feelings of dryness and grittiness in the Minims treated eyes, but not in the other eyes (P < 0.05).

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cellulose; Dry Eye Syndromes; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ophthalmic Solutions; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; Sodium Chloride

The purposes of this study were to establish a quantitative method for evaluating rabbit tear film status and investigate the efficacy of artificial tear preparations through ocular surface bathing or eye drop application.. The rabbit tear film was evaluated using a noninvasive specular reflection video recording system. The appearance of a tear break area (TBA) on the tear film images (7.4 mm2/mm) after 30 seconds of eye opening was quantified by image analysis. To induce disruption of the rabbit tear film, the ocular surface was challenged for 60 minutes with 1 ppm hypochloric acid (HOCl). Immediately after irrigation, artificial tear preparations composed of viscosity agents sodium hyaluronate (SH), hydroxypropylmethycellulose (HPMC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), or chondroitin sulfate (CS) were applied to the rabbit eye through ocular surface bathing or eye drop application, and the recovery of the disrupted tear film was compared for each preparation.. A dramatic increase in TBA was observed immediately after the ocular surface was challenged with HOCl, and it returned to the initial level after 6 hours. Immediately after ocular surface bathing and eye drop application, a dramatic recovery of TBA was observed in all the test solution-treated eyes. One hour after treatments, prolonged amelioration of the tear film instability was observed after ocular surface bathing, but not by eye drop application, with the artificial tear preparations composed of HPMC or SH.. Ocular surface bathing with artificial tear preparations composed of a suitable viscosity agents could be useful in managing tear film instability.

Topics: Animals; Cellulose; Chondroitin Sulfates; Disease Models, Animal; Dry Eye Syndromes; Hyaluronic Acid; Hypochlorous Acid; Hypromellose Derivatives; Methylcellulose; Ophthalmic Solutions; Rabbits; Tears; Viscosity