A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of tear substitutes for the treatment of dry eye syndrome

Abstract

Objective: to assess the effectiveness of tear substitutes in patients suffering from dry eye syndrome (DES). Material and methods. 100 patients with an established diagnosis of mild to moderate DES, averagely aged 42.0 ± 2.1, were divided into three groups: group 1 involving 33 patients (54 eyes, 13 men and 20 women) aged 42.7 ± 2.13 with mild DES, who were treated by low viscosity eye drops, group 2 involving 33 patients (56 eyes, 13 men and 20 women) aged 41.4 ± 2.07 with moderate DES, who were treated by moderate viscosity eye drops and group 3 involving 34 patients (52 eyes, 14 men and 20 women) aged 41.9 ± 2.1 with moderate DES, who were treated by high viscosity eye drops. Treatment results were evaluated after 1 month on the basis of complaints, objective examination data and indicators of the functional tests Results. The complaints (of discomfort, eye strain, fatigue when working with text, eye redness, lacrimation, burning and cramping in the eyes) became less severe, and so did the objective signs of DES. The functional test indicators showed an improvement, too. The best results of the treatment were noted in group 3, where the tear production indicator (Schirmer’s test) increased by 68.1 %. This indicator increased by 66.7 % and 61.5 % in groups 1 and 2, respectively. The LIPCOF test results dropped 3.9 times in group 1 and only 2,3 times in groups 2 and 3. Conclusion. Tear substitutes must be used in DES as the first line of conservative therapy. The improvement of subjective evaluations of the patients and the data of objective research in all three groups is the result of an adequate selection of tear substitutes drugs of a certain degree of viscosity according to the severity of DES.