BACKGROUND: The efficacy of two artificial tears, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and hyaluronate (HA), was compared in the treatment of patients with dry eye disease. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. The efficacy was compared in terms of the mean change from baseline in tear break-up time. The meta-analysis was conducted using both random and fixed effect models. The quality of the selected studies was assessed for risk of bias. RESULTS: Five studies were included involving 251 participants. Random effect model meta-analysis showed no significant difference between CMC and HA in treating dry eye disease (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD]=-0.452; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.911 to 0.007; P=0.053). In contrast, fixed effect model meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in the CMC group when compared to the HA group (pooled SMD=-0.334; 95% CI, -0.588 to -0.081; P=0.010). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of CMC appeared to be better than that of HA in treating dry eye disease, although meta-analysis results were not statistically significant. Further research is needed to better elucidate the difference in efficacy between CMC and HA in treating dry eye disease.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium* ; Eye Diseases* ; Humans ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Tears ; Xerophthalmia

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of cyclosporine 0.05% (Cyporin N eye drops 0.05%) to an active comparator (Restasis®) in moderate to severe dry eye patients. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel, active control, non-inferiority, phase III study. Patients had a 2-week run-in period (during the run-in period, patients used artificial tears, if applicable), and afterward 158 patients were randomly assigned treatment for 12 weeks with cyclosporine 0.05% (with artificial tears, if applicable), in which the efficacy and safety were evaluated every four weeks. RESULTS: Corneal staining tests showed that in the per protocol set group, the study group was not inferior to the control group; the results for the full analysis set analytic group were the same. The number of adverse events reported from the 158 patients was not significantly different between groups (p = 0.1107). Additionally, other evaluations, including tolerability evaluations, clinical pathology examinations, and vital signs, show that there is no difference in terms of safety between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclosporine A 0.05% (Cyporin N eye drops 0.05%) is considered to have the same efficacy and safety compared to the active comparator.
Cyclosporine* ; Dry Eye Syndromes ; Humans ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Pathology, Clinical ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: In this study, the changes in ocular surface parameters and tear meniscus after strabismus surgery when treated with or without artificial tears were evaluated using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: The present study included 30 patients who received bilateral lateral rectus recession surgery for exotropia. The patients instilled artificial tear eye drops only in the left eye. Before and 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery, tear film break-up time (BUT), Schirmer's test, corneal staining test, tear meniscus height and area were measured using OCT and compared in both eyes. Before and 8 weeks after surgery, conjunctival compression cytology test was performed. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 8.7 years. After 8 weeks, BUT and corneal staining scores were 12.3 ± 1.5 seconds and 1.3 ± 0.4 in patients treated with artificial tears and 9.5 ± 1.0 seconds and 2.0 ± 0.7 in patients not treated with artificial tears (both p < 0.000). Four weeks after surgery, tear meniscus height and area using OCT were 290.2 ± 42.3 µm and 566.7 ± 48.2 pixels in patients treated with artificial tears and 246 ± 45.5 µm and 504.0 ± 29.7 pixels in patients not treated with artificial tears (p = 0.045 and p = 0.019, respectively). Goblet cell count was significantly different between the eyes 8 weeks after surgery (p = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Instability of tear meniscus can be detected after strabismus surgery using BUT, Schirmer's test, corneal staining test, tear meniscus height and area, and OCT. After surgery, artificial tears help treat dry eye symptoms by corneo-conjunctival wound healing mechanism and increasing tear meniscus stability.
Exotropia ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Strabismus* ; Tears* ; Tomography, Optical Coherence* ; Wound Healing

PURPOSE: To report a case series of patients experiencing side effects of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops and to analyze the possible reasons for the side effects. CASE SUMMARY: Medical records of 90 patients who had a history of alcaftadine eye drop use were retrospectively analyzed. Eight out of the 90 patients (8.9%) showed ocular side effects that required discontinuation of the alcaftadine eye drops. All eight cases of alcaftadine side effects showed palpebral and bulbar conjunctival injection, watery discharge, and lid swelling. During additional history collection, all patients with alcaftadine side effects confessed of overuse (more than twice/day) of the eye drops. Anticipation for fast symptom relief was the main reason for the alcaftadine overuse. In all side effect cases, patients were asked to stop alcaftadine eye drops and use preservative-free artificial tears and steroid eye drops. After discontinuation of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops, regression of palpebral and bulbar conjunctival injection and lid swelling was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Overuse of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops can induce ocular surface toxicity possibly due to toxicity of drug itself. The possible side effects of overuse of 0.25% alcaftadine eye drops should be fully explained to all patients before use.
Conjunctivitis ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Medical Records ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The changes in tear film lipid layer thickness (LLT) after artificial tears application using LipiView®II interferometer were assessed. METHODS: We performed a prospective study of patients with dry eye disease. All subjects underwent measurement of tear film break-up time, Schirmer test, ocular surface staining, meibomian gland evaluation, and subjective score assessment using the Ocular Surface Disease Index. All subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups using table of random numbers (group 1, sodium hyaluronate [HA] 0.1% eye drops without preservatives; group 2, HA 0.3% eye drops without preservatives and group 3, HA 0.1% with benzalkonium chloride 0.003%). LLT was measured before, immediately after and 1 hr, 3 hrs, and 6 hrs after artificial tears application. Additionally, the patients were divided into 2 subgroups depending on the presence of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and further evaluated. RESULTS: Significant change in LLT was observed at 3 hrs after artificial tears instillation. LLT in groups 1 and 2 showed significant changes over time (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). However, LLT in group 3 showed no change. LLT was unchanged in patients without MGD. Conversely, in MGD patients, a significant difference in LLT between groups 1 and 2 was observed immediately after and 1 hr and 3 hrs after instillation of artificial tears (p = 0.04, p < 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively) but not at 6 hrs. However, no significant difference in LLT between groups 1 and 3 was observed in MGD patients. CONCLUSIONS: LLT after instillation of artificial tears measured using LipiView®II interferometer was affected by artificial tear concentration and presence of preservatives. Additionally, the presence of MGD can impact the pattern of LLT changes induced by artificial tear instillation. Therefore, LLT measurements using LipiView®II interferometer require at least a 6-hrs interval after use of eye drops, especially for patients with MGD or using artificial tears with preservatives.
Benzalkonium Compounds ; Eye Diseases ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Meibomian Glands ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Prospective Studies ; Tears*

PURPOSE: To report a case of conjunctival lithiasis with clinical manifestations of superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis. CASE SUMMARY: A 40-year-old male complained of pain, foreign body sensation and injection in the left eye lasting 1 month. The slit-lamp examination revealed injection of the superior bulbar conjunctiva, linear corneal band opacity, fine punctate staining and epithelial defect in the superior cornea area. After eversion of the left upper eyelid, there were many various-sized conjunctional concretions and inflammation in the superior tarsal conjunctiva. Therefore, we considered conjunctival lithiasis-induced clinical manifestations of superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis and then removed the conjunctival concretions using a 30-gauge needle. After the procedures, artificial tears, antibiotic eye drops, steroid eye drops and a therapeutic contact lens were applied. After 1 week, all symptoms and signs improved and there was no recurrence for 4 months. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical stimulation by severe conjunctival lithiasis can induce clinical manifestations of superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis. Therefore, in patients with clinical manifestations of superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis, conjunctival lithiasis should be considered by observing the superior tarsal conjunctiva more closely.
Adult ; Conjunctiva ; Cornea ; Eyelids ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Keratoconjunctivitis* ; Lithiasis* ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Male ; Needles ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Recurrence ; Sensation

This paper aims to make recommendations for the management of eye health related to fine dust exposure. Fine dust is one of the biggest problems related to air pollution in Korea and is becoming a social issue. Fine dust can be classified into fine dust, ultrafine dust, and nanoparticles according to the size of the constituent particles. Although studies evaluating the harmful effects of particulate matter (PM) have been conducted mainly on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, the ocular surface is a tissue that is continuously exposed to the atmosphere. Eye symptoms caused by PM exposure include eye redness, irritation, and sensation of a foreign body. Typical eye diseases caused by PM exposure include conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, and blepharitis. PM is thought to induce and exacerbate ocular surface diseases and lead to damage through oxidative stress, toxicity, and immune and inflammatory reactions on the ocular surface. For eye health management related to PM exposure, it is necessary to reduce the chance of exposure to PM in advance according to the PM forecast, avoid additional repeated exposure after PM exposure, and remove PM through eye washing and eyelid cleaning. In addition, eye drops, such as artificial tears, diquafosol, and cyclosporin A, can be used to prevent and treat ocular surface disease and deterioration of the damage. In patients who already have ocular surface disease, the harmful effects of PM exposure may be greater and more attention should be paid to eye health management.
Air Pollution ; Atmosphere ; Blepharitis ; Conjunctivitis ; Cyclosporine ; Dust ; Eye Diseases ; Eyelids ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Korea ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Nanoparticles ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Oxidative Stress ; Particulate Matter ; Sensation

PURPOSE: We report a case of toxic keratoconjunctivitis resulting from the self-application of human breast milk as a traditional folk remedy for allergic conjunctivitis. CASE SUMMARY: An 82-year-old woman presented with pain and conjunctival hyperemia in the right eye that had been worsening for three days. Two months previously, she was treated with antiallergic eye drops for allergic conjunctivitis at another eye clinic. However, the symptoms did not improve. She applied her daughter-in-law's breast milk into her right eye as a folk remedy for three days. The pain and conjunctival hyperemia worsened. At the initial visit, her corrected visual acuity was 0.3 in the right eye. Slit lamp examination demonstrated conjunctival hyperemia, punctate epithelial erosion at the central cornea, corneal keratic precipitates and white-colored deposits in the peripheral cornea combined with irregularly shaped small nodules. There was no anterior chamber inflammation. There was no medical history of rheumatoid arthritis or tuberculosis. Blood tests for serum and other infectious and inflammatory levels for infection and inflammatory markers were performed followed by application of topical steroids and antibiotics with artificial tears. After 3 weeks of treatment, conjunctival hyperemia and corneal deposits had almost resolved and best-corrected visual acuity improved to 1.0. CONCLUSIONS: The self-application of human breast milk may cause toxic keratoconjunctivitis. Therefore, efforts should be made, actively, to inform and educate the elderly in rural areas not to use human breast milk as a folk remedy.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anterior Chamber ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Breast ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic ; Cornea ; Female ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Inflammation ; Keratoconjunctivitis ; Lubricant Eye Drops ; Medicine, Traditional ; Milk, Human ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Slit Lamp ; Steroids ; Tuberculosis ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To assess current practice patterns for dry eye patients in South Korea and to evaluate the preference according to the ages and clinic types of physicians. METHODS: Dry eye patients (n = 1,612) were enrolled in this multicenter cross-sectional, observational study. The severity level of dry eye patients was classified based on the Korean guidelines for dry eye treatment. The medical records of the enrolled dry eye patients were evaluated, and the practice styles and the preferences were analyzed according to the ages and clinic types of physicians. RESULTS: Of all patients, dry eye level 1 was most common (47.5%), followed by level 2 (33.5%), level 3 (9.1%), and level 4 (1.1%). Topical anti-inflammatory agents were used in 70.7% of patients with dry eye level 2 and in 80.6% of patients at levels 3 and 4. Topical anti-inflammatory agents were also used in 48.7% of patients with dry eye level 1. Preservative-free artificial tears were preferred at all dry eye levels. The use of topical anti-inflammatory agents did not differ with investigator ages, but older physicians preferred preserved artificial tears more than younger ones. Physicians at referral hospitals also tended to use topical anti-inflammatory agents and preservative-free artificial tears earlier, beginning at dry eye level 1, than those who worked at private eye clinics. CONCLUSIONS: Topical anti-inflammatory agents were commonly prescribed for the treatment of dry eye patients in South Korea, even from dry eye level 1. Preservative-free artificial tears were preferred at all dry eye levels. Practice styles differed somewhat depending on the ages and clinic types of physicians.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/*therapeutic use ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Cyclosporine/*therapeutic use ; Dry Eye Syndromes/*drug therapy ; Fatty Acids, Essential/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Lubricant Eye Drops/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ointments/therapeutic use ; Ophthalmology/*standards ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; *Professional Practice ; Referral and Consultation ; Republic of Korea ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult