Abstract
Purpose :
The prevalence of dry eye disease is estimated to be greater than 30 million adults in the United States. Three topical medications that are currently being prescribed in treatment of dry eye disease are 0.09% cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion, 0.05% cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion and 5% lifitegrast. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of 0.09% cyclosporine, 0.05% cyclosporine and 5% lifitegrast by analyzing patient outcomes treated at an academic dry eye clinic, through a retrospective chart review.
Methods :
Patients with dry eye disease treated with 0.09% cyclosporine, 0.05% cyclosporine or 5% lifitegrast and had a follow up of at least 3 months were included for analysis in this retrospective chart review. Variables included in the analysis were patient subjective improvement, Schirmer’s test, tear osmolarity, and side effects of irritation and burning. A linear mixed-effects (LME) model, was used to study the relationship between treatment and each of the continuous or numeric outcomes of interest which included change in Schirmer test score, and change in tear osmolarity.
Results :
A total of 40 patients were analyzed. There was not a significant association between the medication prescribed and 3-month follow-up subjective improvement in the sense of better, versus worse/same (n=28; Fisher exact test P=.820). For Schirmer test score (n=31) there was not a statistically significant association between the eye drop prescribed—0.09% cyclosporine, 0.05% cyclosporine, or 5% lifitegrast. (likelihood ratio test χ2(2)=5.40; P=.067) There was not a statistically significant relationship overall between the particular eye drop prescribed and the effects of days on tear osmolarity (likelihood ratio test χ2(2)=5.61; P=.061). There was not a significant association between the medication prescribed and irritation/burning at 3-month follow-up (n=25; Fisher exact test P=.350).
Conclusions :
Current topical therapy for dry eye disease includes 0.09% cyclosporine, 0.05% cyclosporine, and 5% lifitegrast. There was no significant difference in efficacy between the different medications in this study. However, further studies are needed given the limitation of the small sample size.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.