Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new artificial tear based on an extract of Artemia salina (AS) which containing dinucleotides, as treatment for moderate-to-severe dry eye disease, comparing with 0.3% hyaluronic acid (HA) after 1-month use
Methods :
A crossover prospective study was carried out with 21 moderate-to-severe dry eye patients. Every patient used one selected randomly artificial tears (AS or 0.3% HA) during one month (3-10 drops daily). Measures related with the symptomatology (OSDI), quality lacrimal stability (BUT, high lacrimal meniscus, TFSQ) and ocular surface integrity (corneal and conjunctival staining) were taken, as well as the safety of the treatment (high and low contrast visual acuity) while using one of the artificial tears. Then, the same procedure was followed, using the second tears after a washout of 3 weeks.
Results :
Patients enrolled in the study were 33,29 ± 14,67 years old, of which 76,2% were women and 23,8% were men. Patients showed a significant improvement of subjective symptomatology after 1 month using AS (p=0.005). Furthermore, an integrity of the ocular surface significant improvement was founded by using both tears after 1 month (p=0.003 with HA and p=0,016 with AS), but no significant differences between both artificial tears was found (p>0,05). An improvement trend of tear quality was shown after use of both artificial tears, but no significant differences were found. Whereas high and low contrast VA were unchanged during this study, demonstrating the safety of both artificial tears.
Conclusions :
This clinical trial demonstrates the safety and efficacy of Artemina Salina based artificial tears. Nevertheless, a different efficacy between AS and 0’3% HA for moderate-to-severe dry eye treatment has not been demonstrated.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.