PubMed · 16827045
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Hypromellose.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16827045/
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The etiology of dysfunctional tear syndrome ("dry eye") is multifactorial and complex. Recent evidence suggests an important role of androgens in regulating tear film secretion onto the ocular surface. In addition, inflammatory processes of the ocular surface seem to be the common final pathway of all chronic forms of dry eye. Novel concepts of pathogenesis and state-of-the-art diagnostic tools are discussed. In vivo confocal microscopy allows quantification of ocular surface inflammatory cells. This is of increasing importance for evaluation of anti-inflammatory treatments in dry eye patients.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of a thermo sensitive punctum plug, the Smart Plug, in the treatment of dry eyes. DESIGN: Observational case-series study. METHODS: Eighteen eyes of 10 dry eye patients who previously failed conventional plug insertion were enrolled. Schirmer 1 test, vital staining scores, and tear clearance tests were performed before plug insertion, at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after insertion. RESULTS: Although Schirmer test values were not significantly different before and after plug insertion, the tear clearance rate considerably decreased (Before insertion: 14.8+/-11.4; After insertion: 8.2+/-6.6) (P<.05). Rose-Bengal and fluorescein scores improved significantly after plug insertion (Rose-Bengal: Before insertion: 6.4+/-2.0; After insertion: 3.3+/-1.6 points, Fluorescein: Before insertion: 4.8+/-2.3; After insertion: 2.1+/-1.3) (P<.05). No complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Smart Plug proved to be a safe and efficient option in the treatment of dry eye.
PURPOSE: To clinically validate and ascertain the repeatability of a short questionnaire for dry eye syndrome (DES), consisting of two questions pertaining to symptoms (dryness and irritation) and one question regarding previous history of clinically diagnosed DES. DESIGN: Clinical validation study with repeated assessments. METHODS: A short questionnaire for DES was administered to participants of two large cohort studies, the Women's Health Study (WHS) and the Physicians' Health Study (PHS). A supplementary questionnaire comprising 16 questions pertaining to symptoms was mailed to a subset of 450 WHS and 240 PHS participants, selected so that a third of these subjects had DES based on their response to the short questionnaire. Repeatability of the dryness and irritation symptom questions was ascertained using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Standardized ophthalmologic examination was performed on 53 subjects. Sensitivity and specificity of the short questionnaire was determined using a combination of clinical tests to define clinical DES. RESULTS: An ICC of 0.75 for dryness and 0.65 for irritation was found between subsequent measurements. Participants' responses to the dryness and irritation questions were highly correlated (r = 0.75) with a score derived from responses to the longer 16-symptom questionnaire. The short questionnaire for DES had a sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 83% when cutoff point for clinical DES was Schirmer 1 value </=10 mm or tear breakup time <10 seconds. CONCLUSION: The short questionnaire for DES is a sensitive and repeatable tool that is easy to administer in large epidemiologic research studies as well as clinical research.