Abstract
Purpose :
To assess the treatment effects of topical dexamethasone 0.1% thrice-daily for 10 days followed by cyclosporine 0.1% once every evening for three months on signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED).
Methods :
At their initial visit to the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic and at the follow-up evaluation after three months, all patients were examined by a single medical practitioner using a standardized clinical protocol. Patients who met the diagnostic criteria for DED as defined by the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) were included in the study. Average values for both eyes were used for analyses. Schirmer test (ST), non-invasive tear film break-up time (NIBUT), ocular surface staining (OSS), meibum expressibility (ME), meibum quality (MQ), number of expressible meibomian glands among the central eight glands in the lower lids (NMG), fluorescein break-up time (FBUT), osmolality, intraocular pressure (IOP), ocular redness keratograph, and several subjective symptoms including Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ-5) scores were assessed after 3 months of intervention and compared to baseline values using a linear mixed effect model.
Results :
Of the 88 patients initially included,86 were present on the final examination (55 women, mean age 55). After three months of intervention, OSS was improved by -0.76 (p<0.001), NIBUT increased by 2.05 (p<0.05), ST by 1.32 (p<0.05) and NMG by 0.79 (p<0.001). The remaining objective tests were not significantly changed from baseline. Self-reported gritty sensation improved by 0.93 (p<0.05), photophobia by 1.06 (p<0.05), blurry vision by 0.89(p<0.05), epiphora by 1.62 (p<0.001), ocular redness by 1.41(p<0.05), itchiness by 1.18 (p<0.05), OSDI by 3.28 (p<0.05) and DEQ-5 by 0.86 (p<0.001). The remaining objective and subjective tests did not significantly improve from baseline.
Conclusions :
Treatment with 10 days of topical dexamethasone 0.1% followed by cyclosporine 0.1% for three months proved to be an effective therapy for DED, resulting in improvement in a number of clinical parameters as well as most symptoms, including OSDI and DEQ-5 scores.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.