Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the effects of a topical cyclosporine A (CSA) 0.05% emulsion and a preservative-free artificial tear (P-FAT) drops on patients with moderate dry eyes.
Methods: :
Patients (n=20) with moderate dry eyes, as graded by the OSDI and lissamine green staining of the temporal bulbar conjunctiva, were treated with CSA (Restasis) bid and P-FAT (Refresh Plus preservative-free) qid for 6 months. Prior to treatment, all patients underwent a complete slit lamp examination: including documentation of tear breakup time and lissamine green staining of the temporal bulbar conjunctiva; which was followed by Schirmer tests (with anesthetic). Confocal microscopic examination of the bulbar conjunctiva was also performed to quantify the number of inflammatory cells and goblet cells, per confocal microscopy field, located 2 mm from the limbus on the temporal bulbar conjunctivia. These tests were repeated after the subjects received 6 months of treatment.
Results: :
Inflammatory cells could be observed by confocal microscopy in 10% of the patients, before treatment; while no inflammatory cells could be observed afterward. After 6 months of treatment, the tear breakup time improved in all patients. However, the OSDI score improved in 80% of the subjects. The same 80% of the subjects exhibited an improvement in the grade of lissamine green staining and the number of goblet cells per confocal microscopy field.
Keywords: cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye • cornea: clinical science • cyclosporine