Sample records for lubricating eye drop

  1. Cost of dry eye treatment in an Asian clinic setting.

    PubMed

    Waduthantri, Samanthila; Yong, Siew Sian; Tan, Chien Hua; Shen, Liang; Lee, Man Xin; Nagarajan, Sangeetha; Hla, Mynt Htoon; Tong, Louis

    2012-01-01

    To estimate the cost and patterns of expenditure of dry eye treatment. We retrieved data on the type and cost of dry eye treatment in Singapore National Eye Centre from pharmacy and clinic inventory databases over a 2 year period (2008-2009) retrospectively. According to the type of treatment, data were sorted into 7 groups; meibomien gland disease (MGD) treatment, preservative free lubricant eye drops, preserved lubricant eye drops, lubricant ointments and gels, cyclosporine eye drops, oral supplements and non-pharmacological treatments/procedures. Each recorded entry was considered as one patient episode (PE). Comparisons in each group between two years were carried out using Pearson Chi-Square test. Significance level was set at alpha  =  0.05. Cost data from 54,052 patients were available for analysis. Total number of recorded PEs was 132,758. Total annual expenditure on dry eye treatment for year 2008 and 2009 were US$1,509,372.20 and US$1,520,797.80 respectively. Total expenditure per PE in year 2008 and 2009 were US$22.11 and US$23.59 respectively. From 2008 to 2009, there was a 0.8% increase in total annual expenditure and 6.69% increase in expenditure per PE. Pharmacological treatment attributes to 99.2% of the total expenditure with lubricants accounting for 79.3% of the total pharmacological treatment expenditure. Total number of units purchased in preservative free lubricants, cyclosporine eye drops and MGD therapy have increased significantly (p<0.001) whereas number of units purchased in preserved lubricants and ointments/gels have reduced significantly (p<0.001) from 2008 to 2009. Dry eye imposes a significant direct burden to health care expenditure even without considering indirect costs. Health care planners should be aware that these direct costs appear to increase over the time and more so for particular types of medications. Given the limitations of socio-economic data, true societal costs of Dry eye syndrome are likely to be much higher than estimated.

  2. The relief of dry eye signs and symptoms using a combination of lubricants, lid hygiene and ocular nutraceuticals.

    PubMed

    Ngo, William; Srinivasan, Sruthi; Houtman, Diane; Jones, Lyndon

    To determine the combined effect of TheraTears ® Lubricant Eye Drops, TheraTears ® SteriLid Eyelid Cleanser, and TheraTears ® Nutrition on dry eye signs and symptoms. This prospective study enrolled 28 dry eye participants. Participants were instructed to use the Lubricant Eye Drops at least 2-4× a day, SteriLid 1-2× a day, and Nutrition 3 gel caps once a day. Participants were followed up at baseline, 1 month and 3 months. Outcome variables were the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Symptom Assessment iN Dry Eye (SANDE) questionnaire, non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), osmolarity, number of meibomian glands blocked (#MG blocked), meibum quality, eyelid margin features, Schirmer's test, tear film lipid layer thickness (LLT), meniscus height, corneal and conjunctival staining. Twenty participants (mean age=43, from 23 to 66, 17F, 3M) completed the study. Participants reported having used, on average, the Lubricant Eye Drop 2.4×/day, the SteriLid 1.1×/day, and the Nutrition 3 gel caps 1×/day. There was a significant change over time (p<0.05) for OSDI (-21.2 points), SANDE (-32.4 points), NIBUT (+0.43s), eyelid margin features (-1.1 grade), meibum quality (-1.0 grade), and #MG blocked (-4.0 glands). By using a combination of TheraTears ® Lubricant Eye Drop, SteriLid, and Nutrition, patients experience significant relief in both dry eye symptoms and signs. Copyright © 2016 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Comparison of in vivo efficacy of different ocular lubricants in dry eye animal models.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Xiaodong; Goto, Tomoko; Ohashi, Yuichi

    2014-04-29

    To compare the efficacy of three types of ocular lubricants in protecting corneal epithelial cells in dry eye animal models. Ocular lubricants containing 0.1% or 0.3% sodium hyaluronate (SH), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) were tested. First, ocular lubricant containing 0.002% fluorescein was dropped onto the rabbit corneas. The fluorescein intensity as an index of retention was measured. Second, a rabbit dry eye model was made by holding the eye open with a speculum, and 50 μL of each ocular lubricant was dropped onto the cornea. After 3 hours, the corneas were stained with 1% methylene blue (MB), and the absorbance of MB was measured. Third, a rat dry eye model was treated with the ocular lubricants for 4 weeks, and the corneal fluorescein staining was scored. Eyes treated with physiological saline were used as controls. Finally, immunohistochemistry was used to analyze occludin, an epithelial barrier protein, in cultured human corneal epithelial cells pretreated with ocular lubricants and desiccated for 20 or 60 minutes. Our results showed that 0.3% SH had a significantly longer retention time than the other lubricants (all P < 0.01). The absorbance of MB was significantly lower in the 0.3% SH group. The corneas of rats exposed to 0.3% SH had significantly lower fluorescein staining scores. A significantly higher number of occludin-positive cells were found after exposure to 0.3% SH than other lubricants. Ocular lubricant containing 0.3% SH would be preferable to treat patients with dry eye syndrome. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  4. Effect of lipid-based dry eye supplements on the tear film in wearers of eye cosmetics.

    PubMed

    Wang, Michael T M; Cho, Irene Sung Hee; Jung, Soo Hee; Craig, Jennifer P

    2017-08-01

    To compare the effects on tear film parameters and contamination in cosmetic eyeliner wearers, after single application of two lipid-based dry eye treatments: a lipid-containing lubricant eye drop and a phospholipid liposomal spray. Fifty participants were enrolled in a prospective, randomised, paired-eye, investigator-masked trial. Pencil eyeliner (Body Shop ® Crayon Eye Definer) was applied to the upper eyelid periocular skin of both eyes, anterior to the lash line. Baseline tear film quality was assessed fifteen minutes after eyeliner application. A lubricant drop (Systane ® Balance) was then applied to one eye (randomised), and liposomal spray (Tears Again ® ) to the contralateral eye. Tear film contamination, lipid layer grade, non-invasive tear film break-up time and tear evaporation rate were evaluated fifteen minutes post-treatment and compared to pre-treatment values. Pre-treatment measurements did not differ between eyes assigned to lubricant drop and liposomal spray. Tear film contamination was observed in a greater proportion of eyes following both treatments (both p<0.05), with no significant difference between treatments (p=0.41). Both treatments improved lipid layer thickness (both p≤0.01), but effected no significant change in non-invasive tear film break-up time or tear evaporation rate (all p>0.05). Changes in tear film parameters did not differ between treatments (all p>0.05). Both the lipid-containing lubricant eye drop and phospholipid liposomal spray result in clinically apparent tear film contamination in eyeliner cosmetic wearers. Although both treatments effected an increase in lipid layer thickness, neither displayed clinical efficacy in improving tear film stability. Copyright © 2017 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Prospective, randomized, controlled comparison of SYSTANE UD eye drops versus VISINE INTENSIV 1% EDO eye drops for the treatment of moderate dry eye.

    PubMed

    Jacobi, Christina; Kruse, Friedrich E; Cursiefen, Claus

    2012-12-01

    The aim of this prospective, randomized, clinical, single-center study was to compare the safety and efficacy of 2 ocular surface lubricant eye drops: preservative-free hydroxypropyl (HP)-Guar (SYSTANE UD(®)) eye drops versus preservative-free Tamarindus indica seed polysaccharide (TSP) 1% (VISINE INTENSIV 1% EDO(®)) eye drops. Fifty-six eyes of 28 patients with moderate keratoconjunctivitis sicca (DEWS severity level 2) were enrolled in the trial. Patients were randomized for 2 treatment groups (SYSTANE UD eye drops vs. VISINE INTENSIV 1% EDO eye drops). The eye drops in both groups were applied 5 times per day for 3 months. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistica™ software (Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon test). P-Values<0.05 were considered significant. After 3 months of treatment the patients of both groups had subjective benefit in the relief of symptoms of dry eye disease evaluated by the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire score. Patients treated with HP-Guar and TSP showed improvements in tear film stability measured by tear break-up time (TBUT), which are statistically significant in the HP-Guar group (P=0.02). The results of this clinical trial show improvements of symptoms and signs in patients with moderate dry eye after the consistent use of preservative-free HP-Guar and TSP lubricant eye drops. Both artificial tear formulations produce amelioration in tear film stability improving eye conditions and patient quality of life. HP-Guar seems to be slightly more effective in improving ocular surface protection by decreasing tear film evaporation.

  6. Targeted delivery of hyaluronic acid to the ocular surface by a polymer-peptide conjugate system for dry eye disease.

    PubMed

    Lee, David; Lu, Qiaozhi; Sommerfeld, Sven D; Chan, Amanda; Menon, Nikhil G; Schmidt, Tannin A; Elisseeff, Jennifer H; Singh, Anirudha

    2017-06-01

    Hyaluronic acid (HA) solutions effectively lubricate the ocular surface and are used for the relief of dry eye related symptoms. However, HA undergoes rapid clearance due to limited adhesion, which necessitates frequent instillation. Conversely, highly viscous artificial tear formulations with HA blur vision and interfere with blinking. Here, we developed an HA-eye drop formulation that selectively binds and retains HA for extended periods of time on the ocular surface. We synthesized a heterobifunctional polymer-peptide system with one end binding HA while the other end binding either sialic acid-containing glycosylated transmembrane molecules on the ocular surface epithelium, or type I collagen molecule within the tissue matrix. HA solution was mixed with the polymer-peptide system and tested on both ex vivo and in vivo models to determine its ability to prolong HA retention. Furthermore, rabbit ocular surface tissues treated with binding peptides and HA solutions demonstrated superior lubrication with reduced kinetic friction coefficients compared to tissues treated with conventional HA solution. The results suggest that binding peptide-based solution can keep the ocular surface enriched with HA for prolonged times as well as keep it lubricated. Therefore, this system can be further developed into a more effective treatment for dry eye patients than a standard HA eye drop. Eye drop formulations containing HA are widely used to lubricate the ocular surface and relieve dry eye related symptoms, however its low residence time remains a challenge. We designed a polymer-peptide system for the targeted delivery of HA to the ocular surface using sialic acid or type I collagen as anchors for HA immobilization. The addition of the polymer-peptide system to HA eye drop exhibited a reduced friction coefficient, and it can keep the ocular surface enriched with HA for prolonged time. This system can be further developed into a more effective treatment for dry eye than a standard HA eye drop. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. A Crosslinked HA-Based Hydrogel Ameliorates Dry Eye Symptoms in Dogs

    PubMed Central

    Williams, David L.; Mann, Brenda K.

    2013-01-01

    Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, commonly referred to as dry eye or KCS, can affect both humans and dogs. The standard of care in treating KCS typically includes daily administration of eye drops to either stimulate tear production or to hydrate and lubricate the corneal surface. Lubricating eye drops are often applied four to six times daily for the life of the patient. In order to reduce this dosing regimen yet still provides sufficient hydration and lubrication, we have developed a crosslinked hydrogel based on a modified, thiolated hyaluronic acid (HA), xCMHA-S. This xCMHA-S gel was found to have different viscosity and rheologic behavior than solutions of noncrosslinked HA. The gel was also able to increase tear breakup time in rabbits, indicating a stabilization of the tear film. Further, in a preliminary clinical study of dogs with KCS, the gel significantly reduced the symptoms associated with KCS within two weeks while only being applied twice daily. The reduction of symptoms combined with the low dosing regimen indicates that this gel may lead to both improved patient health and owner compliance in applying the treatment. PMID:23840213

  8. Randomised controlled trial of topical antibacterial Manuka (Leptospermum species) honey for evaporative dry eye due to meibomian gland dysfunction.

    PubMed

    Albietz, Julie M; Schmid, Katrina L

    2017-11-01

    The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of standardised Manuka (Leptospermum species) antibacterial honey as adjunctive twice daily treatment to conventional therapy (warm compresses, lid massage and preservative-free lubricant), in participants with evaporative dry eye due to moderate to advanced meibomian gland dysfunction. This prospective, open-label study involved 114 participants. After two weeks of conventional therapy participants were randomised to one of three treatment groups: Optimel Antibacterial Manuka Eye Gel (98 per cent Leptospermum species honey) plus conventional therapy (n = 37), Optimel Manuka plus Lubricant Eye Drops (16 per cent Leptospermum species honey) plus conventional therapy (n = 37) and a control (conventional therapy) (n = 40). Clinical evaluations performed at baseline and Week 8 included: symptom scores (Ocular Surface Disease Index, Ocular Comfort Index), daily lubricant use, tear assessments (break-up time, secretion, osmolarity and InflammaDry), corneal sensation, ocular surface staining, meibomian gland secretion quality and expressibility, bulbar conjunctival, limbal and lid marginal redness and eyelid marginal bacterial cultures and colony counts. Significant improvements (p ≤ 0.05) occurred at Week 8 in symptoms, tear break-up time, staining, tear osmolarity, meibum quality and bulbar, limbal and lid margin redness for all treatments. Improvement in staining was significantly greater with Optimel 16 per cent drops (p = 0.035). Significant improvements (p < 0.05) in meibomian gland expressibility and InflammaDry occurred for both Optimel treatments. Optimel 98 per cent gel was significantly more effective in improving meibum quality (p = 0.005) and gland expressibility (p = 0.042). Total eyelid marginal bacterial colony counts reduced significantly with Optimel 16 per cent drops (p = 0.03) but not the other treatments. Staphylococcus epidermidis counts reduced significantly with Optimel 16 per cent drops (p = 0.041) and Optimel 98 per cent gel (p = 0.027). Both Optimel treatments significantly reduced the need for lubricants, with Optimel 16 per cent drops decreasing lubricant use most (p = 0.001). Temporary redness and stinging were the only adverse effects of Optimel use. Optimel antibacterial honey treatments are effective as adjunctive therapies for meibomian gland dysfunction. © 2017 Optometry Australia.

  9. N-Acetylcarnosine sustained drug delivery eye drops to control the signs of ageless vision: glare sensitivity, cataract amelioration and quality of vision currently available treatment for the challenging 50,000-patient population.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A; Burke, Leslie; Micans, Philip; Richer, Stuart P

    2009-01-01

    Innovative Vision Products, Inc. (IVP)'s scientists developed the lubricant eye drops (Can-C) designed as 1% N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) prodrug of L-carnosine containing a mucoadhesive cellulose-based compound combined with corneal absorption promoters in a sustained drug delivery system. Only the natural L-isomeric form of NAC raw material was specifically synthesized at the cGMP facility and employed for the manufacturing of Can-C eye drops. In the present clinical study the authors assessed vision before and after 9 month term of topical ocular administration of NAC lubricant eye drops or placebo in 75 symptomatic patients with age-related uncomplicated cataracts in one or both eyes, with acuity in one eye of 20/40 or worse (best-corrected distance), and no previous cataract surgery in either eye and no other ocular abnormality and 72 noncataract subjects ranged in age from 54 to 78 years. Subjects in these subsample groups have reported complaints of glare and wanted to administer eye drops to get quick eye relief and quality of vision for their daily activities including driving and computer works. Following 9 months of treatment with NAC lubricant eye drops, most patients' glare scores were improved or returned to normal in disability glare tests with Halometer DG. Improvement in disability glare was accompanied with independent improvement in acuity. Furthermore, patients with the poorest pretreatment vision were as likely to regain certain better visual function after 9 months of treatment with N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops as those with the worth pretreatment vision. The authors made a reference to electronic records of the product sales to patients who have been made the repurchase of the Can-C eye drops since December 2001. Based on this analysis of recorded adjustments to inventory, various parameters were analyzed during the continued repurchase behavior program, including testimonials from buyers. With these figures, researchers judged on the patients' compliance rate to self-administer NAC eye-drops. The ophthalmic drug showed potential for the non-surgical treatment of age-related cataracts for participants after controlling for age, gender and daily activities and on a combined basis of repurchases behavior reports in more than 50,000 various cohort survivors, has been demonstrated to have a high efficacy and good tolerability for prevention and treatment of visual impairment determined for the older population with relative stable pattern of causes for blindness and visual impairment. The mechanisms of prevention and reversal of cataracts with NAC ophthalmic drug are considered which include prevention by the intraocular released carnosine of free-radical-induced inactivation of proprietary lens antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase); prevention of carbohydrate and metal-catalyzed autooxidation of ascorbic acid-induced cross-linking glycation reactions to the lens proteins; transglycation properties of carnosine, allowing it to compete for the glycating agent, protecting proteins (lens crystallins) against modification; universal antioxidant and scavenging activity towards lipid hydroperoxides, aldehydes and oxygen radicals; activation with l-carnosine ingredient of proteasome activity in the lens; chaperone-like disaggregating to lens crystallins activity of NAC and of its bioactivated principal carnosine. Blindness incidence increased with advancing age, such as cataract and glaucoma, which are by far the commonest causes of blindness in our sample and in all age groups, glaucomatous neurodegeneration can be treated with developed NAC autoinduction prodrug eye drops equipped with corneal absorption promoters. The common blinding affections presenting in developed countries such as, senile macular degeneration, hereditary chorioretinal dystrophies, diabetic retinopathy are poorly represented in our current summary of vital-statistics and will be reported inherent in next N-acetylcarnosine ophthalmic drug studies. The authors present evidence, about why only a certain kind of NAC is safe, and why only certain formulas designed by IVP for drug discovery are efficacious in the prevention and treatment of senile cataract for long-term use. Overall cumulated studies demonstrate that the designed by IVP new vision-saving drug NAC eye drops help the aging eye to recover by improving its clarity, glare sensitivity, color perception and overall vision.

  10. N-Acetylcarnosine sustained drug delivery eye drops to control the signs of ageless vision: Glare sensitivity, cataract amelioration and quality of vision currently available treatment for the challenging 50,000-patient population

    PubMed Central

    Babizhayev, Mark A; Burke, Leslie; Micans, Philip; Richer, Stuart P

    2009-01-01

    Background: Innovative Vision Products, Inc. (IVP)’s scientists developed the lubricant eye drops (Can-C™) designed as 1% N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) prodrug of l-carnosine containing a mucoadhesive cellulose-based compound combined with corneal absorption promoters in a sustained drug delivery system. Only the natural l-isomeric form of NAC raw material was specifically synthesized at the cGMP facility and employed for the manufacturing of Can-C™ eye drops. Objective and study design: In the present clinical study the authors assessed vision before and after 9 month term of topical ocular administration of NAC lubricant eye drops or placebo in 75 symptomatic patients with age-related uncomplicated cataracts in one or both eyes, with acuity in one eye of 20/40 or worse (best-corrected distance), and no previous cataract surgery in either eye and no other ocular abnormality and 72 noncataract subjects ranged in age from 54 to 78 years. Setting: Subjects in these subsample groups have reported complaints of glare and wanted to administer eye drops to get quick eye relief and quality of vision for their daily activities including driving and computer works. Following 9 months of treatment with NAC lubricant eye drops, most patients’ glare scores were improved or returned to normal in disability glare tests with Halometer DG. Improvement in disability glare was accompanied with independent improvement in acuity. Furthermore, patients with the poorest pretreatment vision were as likely to regain certain better visual function after 9 months of treatment with N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops as those with the worth pretreatment vision. Patients or other participants: The authors made a reference to electronic records of the product sales to patients who have been made the repurchase of the Can-C™ eye drops since December 2001. Intervention: Based on this analysis of recorded adjustments to inventory, various parameters were analyzed during the continued repurchase behavior program, including testimonials from buyers. With these figures, researchers judged on the patients’ compliance rate to self-administer NAC eye-drops. Main outcome measure and results: The ophthalmic drug showed potential for the non-surgical treatment of age-related cataracts for participants after controlling for age, gender and daily activities and on a combined basis of repurchases behavior reports in more than 50,000 various cohort survivors, has been demonstrated to have a high efficacy and good tolerability for prevention and treatment of visual impairment determined for the older population with relative stable pattern of causes for blindness and visual impairment. The mechanisms of prevention and reversal of cataracts with NAC ophthalmic drug are considered which include prevention by the intraocular released carnosine of free-radical-induced inactivation of proprietary lens antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase); prevention of carbohydrate and metal-catalyzed autooxidation of ascorbic acid-induced cross-linking glycation reactions to the lens proteins; transglycation properties of carnosine, allowing it to compete for the glycating agent, protecting proteins (lens crystallins) against modification; universal antioxidant and scavenging activity towards lipid hydroperoxides, aldehydes and oxygen radicals; activation with l-carnosine ingredient of proteasome activity in the lens; chaperone-like disaggregating to lens crystallins activity of NAC and of its bioactivated principal carnosine. Blindness incidence increased with advancing age, such as cataract and glaucoma, which are by far the commonest causes of blindness in our sample and in all age groups, glaucomatous neurodegeneration can be treated with developed NAC autoinduction prodrug eye drops equipped with corneal absorption promoters. The common blinding affections presenting in developed countries such as, senile macular degeneration, hereditary chorioretinal dystrophies, diabetic retinopathy are poorly represented in our current summary of vital-statistics and will be reported inherent in next N-acetylcarnosine ophthalmic drug studies. Conclusion: The authors present evidence, about why only a certain kind of NAC is safe, and why only certain formulas designed by IVP for drug discovery are efficacious in the prevention and treatment of senile cataract for long-term use. Overall cumulated studies demonstrate that the designed by IVP new vision-saving drug NAC eye drops help the aging eye to recover by improving its clarity, glare sensitivity, color perception and overall vision. PMID:19503764

  11. Ocular drug metabolism of the bioactivating antioxidant N-acetylcarnosine for vision in ophthalmic prodrug and codrug design and delivery.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A

    2008-10-01

    The basic idea in this study relates to the interesting research problem to employ with the knowledgeable pharmacy staff N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) in the developed suitable compounded prodrug ophthalmic preparations, which are currently used for the treatment of cataract and have antioxidant effect, in order to provide the molecular support to one of the most popular beliefs of the growing market for the treatment of senile cataract in patients and animals with efficacious NAC drug formulations worldwide patented by the author. This work presents the progress in ocular NAC prodrug and codrug design and delivery in light of revealed ocular metabolic activities. There is a considerable interest in the ophthalmic codrug design including NAC prodrug based on the strategies to improve ophthalmic drug delivery of the active peptide principal L-carnosine through the sustained intraocular metabolic activation of a dipeptide while making it resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis. Novel approaches to ocular NAC drug delivery, developed by Innovative Vision Products, Inc. (IVP), aim at enhancing the drug bioavailability by ensuring a prolonged retention of the medication in the eye, and/or by facilitating transcorneal penetration. IVP team studied the effects of lubricant eye drops designed as 1% NAC prodrug of L-carnosine containing a mucoadhesive cellulose-based and corneal absorption promoters in a drug delivery system. The predicted responses of the corneal and conjunctival penetrations to the synergistic promoters are useful in controlling the extent and pathway of the ocular and systemic absorptions of instilled NAC prodrug in designed ophthalmic formulations thereof. Utility of peptidase enzyme inhibitors in the codrug formulation to modulate the transport and metabolism of NAC prodrug appears to be a promising strategy for enhancing dipeptide drug transport across the cornea. The developed and officially CE mark registered by IVP NAC prodrug and codrug lubricating eye drop systems (including principal regulatory registered eye drops design and lubricating eye drops marketed under numerous brand labels), increase the intraocular uptake of the active principle L-carnosine from its ophthalmic carrier NAC in the aqueous humor and the permeability of a drug into the eye, and so enhance the ocular bioavailability, bioactivating universal antioxidant, and anti-cataract efficacy (in human and in canine eyes) of the developed NAC eye drops.

  12. A preliminary investigation into the effects of ocular lubricants on higher order aberrations in normal and dry eye subjects.

    PubMed

    McGinnigle, Samantha; Eperjesi, Frank; Naroo, Shehzad A

    2014-04-01

    To study the effects of ocular lubricants on higher order aberrations in normal and self-diagnosed dry eyes. Unpreserved hypromellose drops, Tears Again™ liposome spray and a combination of both were administered to the right eye of 24 normal and 24 dry eye subjects following classification according to a 5 point questionnaire. Total ocular higher order aberrations, coma, spherical aberration and Strehl ratios for higher order aberrations were measured using the Nidek OPD-Scan III (Nidek Technologies, Gamagori, Japan) at baseline, immediately after application and after 60 min. The aberration data were analyzed over a 5mm natural pupil using Zernike polynomials. Each intervention was assessed on a separate day and comfort levels were recorded before and after application. Corneal staining was assessed and product preference recorded after the final measurement for each intervention. Hypromellose drops caused an increase in total higher order aberrations (p=<0.01 in normal and dry eyes) and a reduction in Strehl ratio (normal eyes: p=<0.01, dry eyes p=0.01) immediately after instillation. There were no significant differences between normal and self-diagnosed dry eyes for response to intervention and no improvement in visual quality or reduction in higher order aberrations after 60 min. Differences in comfort levels failed to reach statistical significance. Combining treatments does not offer any benefit over individual treatments in self-diagnosed dry eyes and no individual intervention reached statistical significance. Symptomatic subjects with dry eye and no corneal staining reported an improvement in comfort after using lubricants. Copyright © 2013 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Glaucoma Foundation

    MedlinePlus

    ... is mostly caused by a deficiency in the tear glands, and a common preservative in many glaucoma ... for relief is the use of lubricating artificial tears, available as over the counter eye drops, to ...

  14. [Effect of anti-inflammatory therapy on the treatment of dry eye syndrome].

    PubMed

    Mrukwa-Kominek, Ewa; Rogowska-Godela, Anna; Gierek-Ciaciura, Stanisława

    2007-01-01

    Dry eye syndrome is a common chronic disease; agents and strategies for its effective management are still lacking. The syndrome tends to be accompanied by ocular surface inflammation; therefore, the use of anti-inflammatory agents might prove beneficial. The authors present up-to-date guidelines, strategies, and efficacy of dry eye syndrome management, including anti-inflammatory treatment. As no diagnostic tests are now available to assess ocular surface inflammation severity, the right timing to launch an anti-inflammatory agent is difficult to determine. Patients with mild intermittent bouts of symptoms which can be alleviated with ophthalmic lubricants do not typically require anti-inflammatory therapy. The latter should be considered in those who do not respond to lubricating drops, obtain poor results on clinical tests, and show symptoms of ocular surface irritation (eg. conjunctivae redness). Anti-inflammatory treatment of dry eye syndrome may include short-term corticosteroids, cyclosporine A emulsion, oral tetracycline therapy, oral omega-3 fatty acid supplements, and autologous serum eye drops. Anti-inflammatory treatment should be safe and effective; potential benefits should be evaluated for each individual patient. The authors have reviewed the advantages of anti-inflammatory treatment in dry eye syndrome, presented in literature.

  15. Protecting the ocular surface and improving the quality of life of dry eye patients: a study of the efficacy of an HP-guar containing ocular lubricant in a population of dry eye patients.

    PubMed

    Rolando, Maurizio; Autori, Silvia; Badino, Francesco; Barabino, Stefano

    2009-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a non-Newtonian tear substitute containing 0.4% polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) and 0.3% propylene glycol in an 0.18% hydroxypropyl-guar (HPG) containing vehicle (Systane Lubricant Eye Drops; Alcon) in reducing the signs and symptoms of dry eye, as well as its effect on ocular protection. Twenty patients with moderate to severe dry eye were enrolled in a 28-day prospective, randomized, controlled study. Subjects self-administered the HPG containing ocular lubricant four times daily (QID) over the study duration. After 28 days, the effect of the HPG containing ocular lubricant was evaluated by means of the Global Staining Score (a measure of the corneal and conjunctival staining), inter-blink tear film stability, Ocular Protection Index (OPI), and subjective symptoms. The HPG containing ocular lubricant produced statistically significant improvements compared with baseline in dry eye symptoms (P < 0.0001 at Days 7, 14, and 28); in ocular surface staining, as measured by a reduction in the Global Staining Score (P < 0.0001 at Days 7, 14, and 28); and in the OPI (P = 0.0025 at Day 14 and P = 0.0067 at Day 28). The improvements in ocular surface staining and dry eye symptoms with the HPG containing ocular lubricant -- evident as early as the first follow-up visit (Day 7) and continued throughout the 28 days of the study with a concurrent, increase in OPI to a level greater than unity -- indicate that this preparation is a fast-acting, long-lasting, and effective treatment for dry eye. In concurrence with the results from previously published clinical studies, the HPG containing ocular lubricant has shown efficacy in alleviating the signs and symptoms of dry eye as well as affording improved ocular surface protection.

  16. Safety and efficacy of a hydroxypropyl guar/polyethylene glycol/propylene glycol-based lubricant eye-drop in patients with dry eye.

    PubMed

    Labetoulle, Marc; Messmer, Elisabeth M; Pisella, Pierre-Jean; Ogundele, Abayomi; Baudouin, Christophe

    2017-04-01

    To demonstrate non-inferiority of a hydroxypropyl guar/polyethylene glycol/propylene glycol lubricating eye-drop (HPG/PEG/PG) compared with an osmoprotective carboxymethylcellulose/glycerine eye-drop (O/CMC) for ocular surface staining. This was a multicentre, randomised, observer-masked, parallel-group study. Adults with dry eye instilled HPG/PEG/PG/ or O/CMC 4 times daily for 35 days and then as needed through day 90. Total ocular surface staining (TOSS) score changes from baseline and Impact of Dry Eye on Everyday Life (IDEEL) treatment satisfaction module scores were assessed. Non-inferiority, based on TOSS score change from baseline, was concluded if the upper limit of the 2-sided CI was <2 units. Mean±SD patient age was 64.4±13.7 years; 94 patients were randomised to treatment (HPG/PEG/PG, n=46; O/CMC, n=48). Mean±SE TOSS score change from baseline to day 35 was -2.2±0.33 with HPG/PEG/PG and -1.7±0.47 with O/CMC (treatment difference, -0.47±0.47; p=0.38), and the non-inferiority criterion was met. IDEEL treatment satisfaction scores were similar between groups at day 35 and day 90. The most frequently reported adverse event was eye irritation (HPG/PEG/PG, n=2; O/CMC, n=3). HPG/PEG/PG and O/CMC reduced ocular surface damage, and HPG/PEG/PG was non-inferior to O/CMC. Both treatments were effective, convenient and well tolerated. NCT01863368, Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. Bioactivation antioxidant and transglycating properties of N-acetylcarnosine autoinduction prodrug of a dipeptide L-carnosine in mucoadhesive drug delivery eye-drop formulation: powerful eye health application technique and therapeutic platform.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A

    2012-06-01

    A considerable interest in N-acetylcarnosine ocular drug design for eye health is based on clinical strategies to improve ocular drug delivery through metabolic enzymatic activation. Human biology aspects of ocular N-acetylcarnosine deacetylation during its pass through the cornea to the aqueous humor and dipeptide hydrolyzing enzymes are characterized. Novel approaches to ocular drug delivery increasing intraocular bioavailability of N-acetylcarnosine biologically activated metabolite carnosine become an integral development ensuring prolonged retention of the medication in the mucoadhesive precorneal area and facilitating transcorneal penetration of the natural dipeptide with the corneal promoters. A comprehensive list of techniques for peptide drug design, synthesis, purification, and biological analyses was considered: liquid chromatography (LC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), (1) H and (13) C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectroscopy, and spectrophotometry. The antioxidant activity of therapeutics-targeted molecules was studied in aqueous solution and in a lipid membrane environment. A deglycation therapeutic system was developed involving removal, by transglycation of sugar or aldehyde moieties from Schiff bases by histidyl-hydrazide compounds or aldehyde scavenger L-carnosine. Clinical studies included ophthalmoscopy, visual acuity (VA), halometer disability glare tests, slit-image, and retro-illumination photography. N-acetylcarnosine 1% lubricant eye drops are considered as an auto-induction prodrug and natural ocular redox state balance therapies with implications in prevention and treatment of serious eye diseases that involve pathways of continuous oxidative damage to ocular tissues(cataracts, primary open-angle glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration) and sight-threatening glycosylation processes (diabetic retinopathy and consequent visual impairment) important for public health. The results of the study document that the therapeutic benefit in clinical trials is associated with the bioactivation universal antioxidant and transglycating properties of N-acetylcarnosine acting as the ophthalmic prodrug of L-carnosine, and depends on the nature of the specific drug delivery lubricant eye-drop formulation applied as the topical solution. The research highlights findings in N-acetylcarnosine prodrug activation, transport mechanisms, drug-to-drug interactions, and formulations in order to unlock the optimization of complicated ocular pharmacology of N-acetylcarnosine. Patented N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye-drop formula was marketed as numerous human biological brands reaching important distribution networks on over 550 000 bottles sold. Nature Does Nothing Uselessly. -Aristotle Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Treatment of contact lens related dry eye with antibacterial honey.

    PubMed

    Wong, Daniel; Albietz, Julie M; Tran, Huan; Du Toit, Cimonette; Li, Anita Hui; Yun, Tina; Han, Jee; Schmid, Katrina L

    2017-12-01

    Contact lens induced dry eye affects approximately 50% of contact lens wearers. The aim was to assess the effects of Manuka (Leptospermum sp.) honey eye drops (Optimel, Melcare, Australia) on dry eye in contact lens wearers. The safety of the honey eye drops in contact lens wear and contact lens wearers' compliance were also evaluated. Prospective, randomised, cross over study, examiner masked, pilot treatment trial. Twenty-four participants aged 20 to 55 years with contact lens related dry eye were recruited and randomised to two treatment groups; 20 completed the study. One group used Optimel eye drops twice a day for two weeks followed by conventional lubricant (Systane Ultra, Alcon) therapy for two weeks; the other group completed the treatments in the reverse order. Before and after each treatment dry eye symptomology, ocular surface inflammation, and tear quantity and quality were assessed. Participants completed a daily log detailing their usage of treatments and any issues. Dry eye symptoms improved significantly after Optimel treatment. Patients with more severe symptoms at baseline showed a greater improvement in symptoms. No significant differences were observed in the objective signs of dry eye; presumably because of the short treatment duration. Seventy-five% of contact lens wearers reported good adherence to Optimel treatment and 95% reported no issues using this product. Optimel Eye Drops reduce the symptoms of dry eye in contact lens wearers and are safe to use. A longer treatment period to assess the effect on clinical signs of dry eye is required. Copyright © 2017 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Specialized moisture retention eyewear for evaporative dry eye.

    PubMed

    Waduthantri, Samanthila; Tan, Chien Hua; Fong, Yee Wei; Tong, Louis

    2015-05-01

    To evaluate the suitablity of commercially available moisture retention eyewear for treating evaporative dry eye. Eleven patients with evaporative dry eyes were prescibed moisture retention eyewear for 3 months in addition to regular lubricant eye drops. Frequency and severity of dry eye symptoms, corneal fluorescein staining and tear break up time (TBUT) were evaluated at baseline and 3-month post-treatment. Main outcome measure was global symptom score (based on severity and frequency of dry eye symptoms on a visual analog scale) and secondary outcomes were changes in sectoral corneal fluorescein staining and tear break up time (TBUT) from pre-treatment level. There was a significant improvement in dry eye symptoms after using moisture retention eyewear for 3 months (p < 0.05). Corneal fluorescein staining in all five zones of the cornea in both eyes improved significantly (p < 0.05). There was no significant improvement in TBUT. Patients used ocular lubricants less frequently (p < 0.05) compared to the commencement of the study. Patients found moisture retention eyewear to be useful in relieving dry eye symptoms in windy, air-conditioned environments or when doing vision-related daily tasks. This study shows that moisture retention eyewear might be a valuable adjunct in management of evaporative dry eye and this new design of commercially available eyewear could have a good acceptability rate.

  20. Telomere Attrition in Human Lens Epithelial Cells Associated with Oxidative Stress Provide a New Therapeutic Target for the Treatment, Dissolving and Prevention of Cataract with N-Acetylcarnosine Lubricant Eye Drops. Kinetic, Pharmacological and Activity-Dependent Separation of Therapeutic Targeting: Transcorneal Penetration and Delivery of L-Carnosine in the Aqueous Humor and Hormone-Like Hypothalamic Antiaging Effects of the Instilled Ophthalmic Drug Through a Safe Eye Medication Technique.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A; Yegorov, Yegor E

    2016-01-01

    Visual impairment broadly impacts the ability of affected people to maintain their function and to remain independent during their daily occupations as they grow older. Visual impairment affects survival of older patients, quality of life, can affect a person's self-ranking of health, may be associated with social and functional decline, use of community support services, depression, falls, nursing home placement, and increased mortality. It has been hypothesized that senile cataract may serve as a marker for generalised tissue aging, since structural changes occurring in the proteins of the lens during cataract formation are similar to those which occur elsewhere as part of the aging process. The published analysis revealed a strong age-dependent relationship between undergoing cataract surgery and subsequent mortality. Nuclear opacity, particularly severe nuclear opacity, and mixed opacities with nuclear were significant predictors of mortality independent of body mass index, comorbid conditions, smoking, age, race, and sex. The lens opacity status is considered as an independent predictor of 2-year mortality, an association that could not be explained by potential confounders. Telomeres have become important biomarkers for aging as well as for oxidative stress-related disease. The lens epithelium is especially vulnerable to oxidative stress. Oxidative damage to the cuboidal epithelial cells on the anterior surface of the lens mediated by reactive oxygen species and phospholipid hydroperoxides can precede and contribute to human lens cataract formation. The erosion and shortening of telomeres in human lens epithelial cells in the lack of telomerase activity has been recognized as a primary cause of premature lens senescence phenotype that trigger human cataractogenesis. In this study we aimed to be focused on research defining the mechanisms that underlie linkages among telomere attrition in human lens epithelial cells associated with oxidative stress, biology of the lens response to oxidative damages, aging and health, cataract versus neuroendocrine regulation and disease. The cumulative results demonstrate that carnosine, released ophthalmically from the patented 1% Nacetylcarnosine prodrug lubricant eye drops, at physiological concentration might remarkably reduce the rate of telomere shortening in the lens cells subjected to oxidative stress in the lack of efficient antioxidant lens protection. Carnosine promotes the protection of normal cells from acquiring phenotypic characteristics of cellular senescence. The data of visual functions (visual acuity, glare sensitivity) in older adult subjects and older subjects with cataract treated with 1% N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops showed significant improvement as compared, by contrast with the control group which showed generally no improvement in visual functions, with no difference from baseline in visual acuity and glare sensitivity readings. N-acetylcarnosine derived from the lubricant eye drops may be transported into the hypothalamic tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) histamine neurons and gradually hydrolyzed. The resulting L-histidine may subsequently be converted into histamine, which could be responsible for the effects of carnosine on neurotransmission and hormone-like antiaging and anti-cataract physiological function. The research utilizing the N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops powerful therapeutic platform provides the findings related to the intraocular uptake exposure sources as well as a timing dosage and duration systemic absorption of said preparation from the conjunctional sac reaching the hypothalamus with activities transfer into the hypothalamic-neuroendocrine pathways affecting across the hypothalamus metabolic pathway the telomere biology and cataract disease occurrence, reversal and prevention and the average expected lifespan of an individual. Such findings can be translated into clinical practice and may provide a basis for personalized cataract disease and aging prevention and treatment approaches.

  1. Effect of different lubricant eye gels on tear film thickness as measured with ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography.

    PubMed

    Wozniak, Piotr A; Schmidl, Doreen; Bata, Ahmed M; Fondi, Klemens; Witkowska, Katarzyna J; Aranha Dos Santos, Valentin; Baar, Carina; Room, Kim I; Nepp, Johannes; Baumgartner, Isabella; Popa-Cherecheanu, Alina; Garhöfer, Gerhard; Werkmeister, René M; Schmetterer, Leopold

    2017-06-01

    To compare the effect of a single drop of different lubricant eye gels on tear film thickness (TFT) as measured with ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT) in patients with mild-to-moderate dry eye disease (DED). The study followed a randomized, single-masked, observer-blinded parallel group design. Patients received a single dose of either unpreserved trehalose 3% + hyaluronic acid 0.15% (TH), hyaluronic acid 0.2% (HA) or polyethylene glycol 0.4% + propylene glycol 0.3% (PP) eye drops. In total, 60 patients were included and TFT was measured using a custom-built UHR-OCT system. The mean TFT at baseline was 3.5 ± 0.7 μm. There was a significant difference in the time-course of TFT between the three groups (p = 0.001 between groups). Ten minutes after instillation, TFT increased by 155.8 ± 86.6%, 65.7 ± 71.5% and 33.4 ± 19.6% in the PP, TH and HA group, respectively (p < 0.001 between groups). Thirty minutes after instillation, the effect of all three different agents on TFT was comparable. Sixty and 120 min after administration, a significant increase in TFT was only seen for the TH group, but not for the other products (60 min: p < 0.021 between groups; 120 min: p < 0.037 between groups). In conclusion, we observed differences in TFT after administration of the lubricant gels. Ten minutes after instillation, a pronounced increase in TFT was observed in all groups. As compared to the other products, the combination of trehalose 3% + hyaluronic acid 0.15% offers a significantly longer increase in TFT indicating for a longer residence time. © 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Systematic review of randomized controlled trials in the treatment of dry eye disease in Sjogren syndrome.

    PubMed

    Shih, Kendrick Co; Lun, Christie Nicole; Jhanji, Vishal; Thong, Bernard Yu-Hor; Tong, Louis

    2017-01-01

    Primary Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by dry eye and dry mouth. We systematically reviewed all the randomized controlled clinical trials published in the last 15 years that included ocular outcomes. We found 22 trials involving 9 topical, 10 oral, 2 intravenous and 1 subcutaneous modalities of treatment. Fluoromethalone eye drops over 8 weeks were more effective than topical cyclosporine in the treatment of dry eye symptoms and signs; similarly, indomethacin eye drops over 1 month were more efficacious than diclofenac eye drops. Oral pilocarpine 5 mg twice daily over 3 months was superior to use of lubricants or punctal plugs for treating dry eye, but 5% of participants had gastrointestinal adverse effects from pilocarpine, though none discontinued treatment. In contrast, etanercept, a TNF-alpha blocking antibody, administered as subcutaneous injections twice weekly, did not improve dry eye significantly compared to placebo injections. In conclusion, topical corticosteroids have been shown to be effective in dry eye associated with Sjögren's syndrome. As some topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be more effective than others, these should be further evaluated. Systemic secretagogues like pilocarpine have a role in Sjögren's syndrome but the adverse effects may limit their clinical use. It is disappointing that systemic cytokine therapy did not produce encouraging ocular outcomes but participants should have assessment of cytokine levels in such trials, as those with higher baseline cytokine levels may respond better. (229 words).

  3. Dispersion of microemulsion drops in HEMA hydrogel: a potential ophthalmic drug delivery vehicle.

    PubMed

    Gulsen, Derya; Chauhan, Anuj

    2005-03-23

    Approximately 90% of all ophthalmic drug formulations are now applied as eye-drops. While eye-drops are convenient and well accepted by patients, about 95% of the drug contained in the drops is lost due to absorption through the conjunctiva or through the tear drainage. A major fraction of the drug eventually enters the blood stream and may cause side effects. The drug loss and the side effects can be minimized by using disposable soft contact lenses for ophthalmic drug delivery. The essential idea is to encapsulate the ophthalmic drug formulations in nanoparticles, and disperse these drug-laden particles in the lens material. Upon insertion into the eye, the lens will slowly release the drug into the pre lens (the film between the air and the lens) and the post-lens (the film between the cornea and the lens) tear films, and thus provide drug delivery for extended periods of time. This paper focuses on dispersing stabilized microemulsion drops in poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (p-HEMA) hydrogels. The results of this study show that the p-HEMA gels loaded with a microemulsion that is stabilized with a silica shell are transparent and that these gels release drugs for a period of over 8 days. Contact lenses made of microemulsion-laden gels are expected to deliver drugs at therapeutic levels for a few days. The delivery rates can be tailored by controlling the particle and the drug loading. It may be possible to use this system for both therapeutic drug delivery to eyes and the provision of lubricants to alleviate eye problems prevalent in extended lens wear.

  4. Osmolarity of prevalent eye drops, side effects, and therapeutic approaches.

    PubMed

    Dutescu, Ralf M; Panfil, Claudia; Schrage, Norbert

    2015-05-01

    Little is known about how the osmolarity of ophthalmic formulations affects the ocular surface. Because hyperosmolar eye drops could be therapeutic for treating corneal edema, this article presents an ex vivo model of corneal edema for testing ophthalmic drugs based on their osmolarity. The respective osmolarity of common eye drops found in the German market is also analyzed here. For modeling corneal edema, an Ex Vivo Eye Irritation Test was used to simulate an ocular anterior chamber with a physiological corneal barrier. To induce corneal edema, the anterior chamber was supplied with a hypoosmolar medium (148 mOsm/L) for 24 hours. Preserved and preservative-free 5% sodium chloride (hyperosmolar Omnisorb and Ocusalin 5% UD) were used for 1 hour, on 5 corneas each, to test their efficiency to reduce corneal edema in this model. Corneal thickness was determined by optical coherence tomography. Osmolarity of 87 common eye drops was measured by freezing point osmometry. Ex vivo, the tested hypoosmolar condition induced corneal edema from 450 μm (±50 μm) at baseline to 851 μm (±94 μm, P < 0.0001). Omnisorb and Ocusalin 5% UD significantly reduced the corneal thickness by 279 μm (±28 μm, P < 0.001) for Omnisorb and 258 μm (±29 μm, P < 0.001) for Ocusalin 5% UD. Forty-three (49%) of the tested products had an osmolarity below and 44 (51%) above the physiological tear osmolarity of 289 mOsm/L. Osmolarity values of less than 200 mOsm/L were found in lubricant drops. The highest osmolarity was detected in Omnisorb (1955 mOsm/L). The Ex Vivo Eye Irritation Test has proven to be a reliable novel model of corneal edema for evaluating osmotic eye drops. Osmolarity measurements revealed a wide range from hypotonic to hypertonic formulations for commonly marketed ophthalmic drugs.

  5. 3D Imaging of Water-Drop Condensation on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Lubricant-Impregnated Surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kajiya, Tadashi; Schellenberger, Frank; Papadopoulos, Periklis; Vollmer, Doris; Butt, Hans-Jürgen

    2016-04-01

    Condensation of water from the atmosphere on a solid surface is an ubiquitous phenomenon in nature and has diverse technological applications, e.g. in heat and mass transfer. We investigated the condensation kinetics of water drops on a lubricant-impregnated surface, i.e., a micropillar array impregnated with a non-volatile ionic liquid. Growing and coalescing drops were imaged in 3D using a laser scanning confocal microscope equipped with a temperature and humidity control. Different stages of condensation can be discriminated. On a lubricant-impregnated hydrophobic micropillar array these are: (1) Nucleation on the lubricant surface. (2) Regular alignment of water drops between micropillars and formation of a three-phase contact line on a bottom of the substrate. (3) Deformation and bridging by coalescence which eventually leads to a detachment of the drops from the bottom substrate. The drop-substrate contact does not result in breakdown of the slippery behaviour. Contrary, on a lubricant-impregnated hydrophilic micropillar array, the condensed water drops replace the lubricant. Consequently, the surface loses its slippery property. Our results demonstrate that a Wenzel-like to Cassie transition, required to maintain the facile removal of condensed water drops, can be induced by well-chosen surface hydrophobicity.

  6. 3D Imaging of Water-Drop Condensation on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Lubricant-Impregnated Surfaces.

    PubMed

    Kajiya, Tadashi; Schellenberger, Frank; Papadopoulos, Periklis; Vollmer, Doris; Butt, Hans-Jürgen

    2016-04-04

    Condensation of water from the atmosphere on a solid surface is an ubiquitous phenomenon in nature and has diverse technological applications, e.g. in heat and mass transfer. We investigated the condensation kinetics of water drops on a lubricant-impregnated surface, i.e., a micropillar array impregnated with a non-volatile ionic liquid. Growing and coalescing drops were imaged in 3D using a laser scanning confocal microscope equipped with a temperature and humidity control. Different stages of condensation can be discriminated. On a lubricant-impregnated hydrophobic micropillar array these are: (1) Nucleation on the lubricant surface. (2) Regular alignment of water drops between micropillars and formation of a three-phase contact line on a bottom of the substrate. (3) Deformation and bridging by coalescence which eventually leads to a detachment of the drops from the bottom substrate. The drop-substrate contact does not result in breakdown of the slippery behaviour. Contrary, on a lubricant-impregnated hydrophilic micropillar array, the condensed water drops replace the lubricant. Consequently, the surface loses its slippery property. Our results demonstrate that a Wenzel-like to Cassie transition, required to maintain the facile removal of condensed water drops, can be induced by well-chosen surface hydrophobicity.

  7. [Transplantation of labial salivary glands for severe dry eye treatment].

    PubMed

    Soares, Eduardo Jorge Carneiro; França, Valênio Perez

    2005-01-01

    To study the clinical effects of the secretion of transplanted labial glands used as ocular lubricant to treat severe dry-eye cases, to evaluate the duration of the results and to simplify the surgical technique. Thirty-seven surgeries were performed in twenty-one patients during the period of July 2000 to January 2004. The graft, consisting of labial mucosa and underlying salivary glands, was transplanted to the previously prepared area in the conjunctival fornix. All procedures were recommended in severe dry-eye cases, that is, eyes with total or nearly total xerophthalmia. The preoperative and postoperative protocols are presented emphasizing the items which were used in the comparative analysis of the results as well as the technical description of the surgical procedure. The graft survival and integration into the host tissues were observed in 97.2% of the cases. The clinical improvement, demonstrated by the disappearance of the symptoms, better biomicroscopic aspect of the ocular surface, better vision and disuse of lubricant drops, was observed in 91.9% of the cases. The follow-up showed not only persistence but also stability of the results. Infection represented one case and ptosis represented three cases of the only four observed complications. The improvement of severe dry-eye cases detected after the transplantation of labial salivary glands is significant. It demonstrates that the lubricant ocular surface produced by the salivary secretion is efficient and well-tolerated. The follow-up shows that the result persists in the long term from which it is concluded that the production of the secretion is permanent. The surgical technique of transplanting the labial salivary gland to the conjunctival fornix is very simple and easily accessible to any ophthalmic surgeon.

  8. 3D Imaging of Water-Drop Condensation on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Lubricant-Impregnated Surfaces

    PubMed Central

    Kajiya, Tadashi; Schellenberger, Frank; Papadopoulos, Periklis; Vollmer, Doris; Butt, Hans-Jürgen

    2016-01-01

    Condensation of water from the atmosphere on a solid surface is an ubiquitous phenomenon in nature and has diverse technological applications, e.g. in heat and mass transfer. We investigated the condensation kinetics of water drops on a lubricant-impregnated surface, i.e., a micropillar array impregnated with a non-volatile ionic liquid. Growing and coalescing drops were imaged in 3D using a laser scanning confocal microscope equipped with a temperature and humidity control. Different stages of condensation can be discriminated. On a lubricant-impregnated hydrophobic micropillar array these are: (1) Nucleation on the lubricant surface. (2) Regular alignment of water drops between micropillars and formation of a three-phase contact line on a bottom of the substrate. (3) Deformation and bridging by coalescence which eventually leads to a detachment of the drops from the bottom substrate. The drop-substrate contact does not result in breakdown of the slippery behaviour. Contrary, on a lubricant-impregnated hydrophilic micropillar array, the condensed water drops replace the lubricant. Consequently, the surface loses its slippery property. Our results demonstrate that a Wenzel-like to Cassie transition, required to maintain the facile removal of condensed water drops, can be induced by well-chosen surface hydrophobicity. PMID:27040483

  9. [Corneal reepithelialization time with instillation of eye drops containing sodium hyaluronate and carboxymethylcellulose].

    PubMed

    Moreira, Luciane Bugman; Scalco, Rochelli; Hara, Silvia

    2013-10-01

    Evaluate the time of post-abrasion corneal re-epithelialization using commercially available eye drops, one of which containing 0.4% sodium hialuronate, and the other containing 1% carboxymethylcellulose, and compare them to the re-epithelialization without the drops. 24 rabbits were used, which had the mechanical abrasion of the central 8 mm of their corneas done. These animals were divided in 3 groups. The first one received the drops containing 0.4% of sodium hialuronate, the second one received the drops containing 1% of carboxymethylcellulose and the third group did not receive any drugs. The evaluations took place every 24 hours through the analysis of digital pictures under cobalt blue light and coloring of the corneas with 2% fluorescein. The pictures were analyzed with the software Autocad 2009®. The data was analyzed through the comparison of the total re-epithelialization time among the three groups The time of total re-epithelialization of the group using sodium hialuronate was on average 90 hours and the group using carboxymethylcellulose 105 hours, while the group using no drugs was 108 hours. There was a better performance of those groups using the drops and this difference can be proved statistically. The drops containing 0.4% of sodium hialuronate showed a higher efficiency rate compared to the drops containing 1% of carboxymethylcellulose, which was higher than the control group. The results of the present study show that the use of lubricants in the process of re-epithelialization are extremely valid and must be used frequently in ophthalmologic clinic.

  10. Potentiation of intraocular absorption and drug metabolism of N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops: drug interaction with sight threatening lipid peroxides in the treatment for age-related eye diseases.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A

    2009-01-01

    Cataract is the dominant cause of blindness worldwide. Studies of the morphological structure and biophysical changes of the lens in human senile cataracts have demonstrated the disappearance of normal fiber structure in the opaque region of the lens and the disintegration of the lens fiber plasma membrane in the lens tissue. Morphological and biochemical techniques have revealed the regions in human cataractous lenses in which the plasma membrane derangement occurs as the primary light scattering centers which cause the observed lens opacity. Human cataract formation is mostly considered to be a multifactorial disease; however, oxidative stress might be one of the leading causes for both nuclear and cortical cataract. Phospholipid molecules modified with oxygen, accumulating in the lipid bilayer, change its geometry and impair lipid-lipid and protein-lipid interactions in lenticular fiber membranes. Electron microscopy data of human lenses at various stages of age-related cataract document that these disruptions were globules, vacuoles, multilamellar membranes, and clusters of highly undulating membranes. The opaque shades of cortical cataracts represent cohorts of locally affected fibres segregated from unaffected neighbouring fibres by plasma membranes. Other potential scattering centers found throughout the mature cataract nucleus included variations in staining density between adjacent cells, enlarged extracellular spaces between undulating membrane pairs, and protein-like deposits in the extracellular space. These affected parts had membranes with a fine globular aspect and in cross-section proved to be filled with medium to large globular elements. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) is a pathogenetic and causative factor of cataract. Increased concentrations of primary molecular LPO products (diene conjugates, lipid hydroperoxides, fatty acid oxy-derivatives) and end fluorescent LPO products were detected in the lipid moieties of the aqueous humor samples and human lenses obtained from patients with senile and complicated cataracts as compared to normal donors. Utilizing the pharmacokinetic studies and the specific purity N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) ingredient as a source of pharmacological principal L-carnosine, we have created an ophthalmic time-release prodrug form combined with a muco-adhesive lubricant compound carboxymethylcellulose and other essential corneal absorption promoter excipients tailoring the increased intraocular absorption of L-carnosine in the aqueous humor and optimizing its specific effect in producing the basic antioxidant activity in vivo and reducing toxic effects of lipid peroxides to the crystalline lens. L-Carnosine that finds its way into the aqueous humor can accumulate in the lens tissue for a reasonable period of time. However, administration of pure L-carnosine (1% solution) to the rabbit eye (instillation, subconjunctival injection) does not lead to accumulation of this natural compound in the aqueous humor over 30 min in concentration exceeding that in the placebo-treated matched eyes, and its effective concentration is exhausted more rapidly. The NAC prodrug eye drops optimize the clinical effects for the treatment of ophthalmic disorders (such as prevention and reversal of cataracts in human and animal [canine] eyes). The data provided predict a particular NAC ophthalmic prodrug's clinical effect; the suitable magnitude and duration of this effect suggest dose-related bioavailability of L-camosine released from NAC in the aqueous humor of the anterior eye segment. The ophthalmic NAC drug shows promise in the treatment of a range of ophthalmic disorders which have a component of oxidative stress in their genesis (including cataract and after-cataract, glaucoma, dry eye, vitreous floaters, inflammatory disorders, corneal, retinal and systemic diseases [such as diabetes mellitus and its ophthalmic complications]). The clinical efficacy of N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops in ripe cataracts and retinal disorders can be enhanced in combined treatment with a patented oral formulation (Can-C Plus) of non-hydrolyzed carnosine including synergistic compounds (histidine, D-panthethine) with chaperone activity towards lens crystallins and oral supplementation with N-acetylcysteine providing an alternate means of boosting reduced glutathione (GSH) synthesis in the lens.

  11. Development of a test facility and preliminary testing of flow boiling heat transfer of R410A refrigerant with Al2O3 nanolubricants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wong, Thiam

    In vapor compression cycles, a small portion of the oil circulates with the refrigerant throughout the system components, while most of the oil stays in the compressors. In heat exchangers, the lubricant in excess penalizes the heat transfer and increases the pressure losses: both effects are highly undesired but yet unavoidable. Nanoparticles dispersed in the excess lubricant are expected to provide enhancements in heat transfer. While solubility and miscibility of refrigerants in polyolesters (POE) lubricant are well established knowledge, there is a lack of information regarding if and how nanoparticles dispersed in the lubricant affect these properties. This thesis presents experimental data of solubility of two types of Al2O3 nanolubricants with refrigerant R-410A. The nanoparticles were dispersed in POE lubricant by using different surfactants and dispersion methods. The nanolubricants appeared to have slightly lower solubility than that of R-410A but actually the solid nanoparticles did not really interfere with the POE oil solubility characteristics. A test facility and experimental methodology was developed for the investigation of heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop. The pressure drop of the refrigerant lubricant mixtures during flow boiling depended on the mass flux of the refrigerant. Greater augmentation was seen in the pressure drop results with decreasing mass flow rate. Pure refrigerant R410A showed the lowest pressure drop, addition of nanolubricants to the refrigerant showed a slightly higher pressure drop and POE-refrigerant mixture showed the highest pressure drop in the tests conducted. Enhancement or degradation in heat transfer coefficient during flow boiling depended on the nanoparticle concentration in the lubricant as well as the lubricant concentration in refrigerant. R410A showed the highest heat transfer coefficient for all conditions tested. For a concentration of 1% nanolubricant in refrigerant, the heat transfer coefficient showed more enhancement with increase in nanoparticle concentration compared to POE refrigerant mixtures. For a concentration of 3% nanolubricant in refrigerant mixtures there was little to no enhancement for tests conducted.

  12. 21 CFR 349.60 - Labeling of ophthalmic demulcent drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...” or “demulcent (lubricant)” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form... dryness of the eye.” (2) “For the temporary relief of discomfort due to minor irritations of the eye or to... the eye.” (4) “For use as a lubricant to prevent further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye...

  13. 21 CFR 349.60 - Labeling of ophthalmic demulcent drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...” or “demulcent (lubricant)” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form... dryness of the eye.” (2) “For the temporary relief of discomfort due to minor irritations of the eye or to... the eye.” (4) “For use as a lubricant to prevent further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye...

  14. Structural and functional properties, chaperone activity and posttranslational modifications of alpha-crystallin and its related subunits in the crystalline lens: N-acetylcarnosine, carnosine and carcinine act as alpha- crystallin/small heat shock protein enhancers in prevention and dissolution of cataract in ocular drug delivery formulations of novel therapeutic agents.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A

    2012-08-01

    Cataract is a leading cause of blindness worldwide and is responsible for ∼40-80% of the estimated 45 million cases of blindness that occur across the globe. In addition to providing refractive properties to the lens for focusing the image, it is believed that the molecular chaperone function of α-crystallin is essential in preventing the light scattering due to aggregation of other proteins and thus in the maintenance of lens transparency and thereby prevention of cataract. By now, it is fairly acknowledged that chaperoning ability of α-crystallin is instrumental in the maintenance of crystalline lens transparency, and decreased chaperone-like activity of α-crystallin is associated with various types and stages of cataract. A better pharmacological targeting of safeguarding the α-crystallin chaperone activity may aid the development of therapeutic strategies that could evade the need for cataract surgery and revive lens transparency of the cataractous lenses. This article originally summarizes the significance of modulation and enhancing of α-crystallin chaperone activity with imidazole-containing dipeptides N-acetylcarnosine, carnosine and carcinine in consequence to prevent, delay or dissolve the human cataract. A growing evidence and discussion of recent patents are presented in this study that demonstrate the ability of N-acetylcarnosine (lubricant eye drops) or carcinine (lubricant eye drops) (universal antioxidant and deglycation agent) resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis with carnosinase to act as pharmacological chaperones, to decrease oxidative stress and ameliorate oxidative and excessive glycation stress-related eye disease phenotypes, suggesting that the field of chaperone therapy might hold novel treatments for age-related cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and ocular complications of diabetes (OCD). The therapeutic strategies are highlighted in the study for identifying potential chaperone compounds and for experimentally demonstrating chaperone activity in in vitro and in vivo models of human age-related eye disease, such as cataracts and advanced glycation tissue proteins - engineered systems.

  15. An update on dry eye disease molecular treatment: advances in drug pipelines.

    PubMed

    Colligris, Basilio; Crooke, Almudena; Huete-Toral, Fernando; Pintor, Jesus

    2014-07-01

    Dry eye disease is a common disorder provoking changes in tear film and ocular surface. Untreated dry eye could cause ocular infections, corneal ulcer and blindness. Only a few drugs are authorized so far for the treatment of dry eye disease and the possibilities of evolution in this sector are immense. Consequently, a significant number of new potential solutions are under development or placed in the pharmaceutical pipeline, promising better results and lesser side effects. In this article, the corresponding literature and recent Phase III clinical trial data and the corresponding literature, for dry eye disease treatment are reviewed, revealing the new strategic movements in drug pipelines. From the clinical trial results, the advancement in tear substitutes and secretagogues in addressing specific deficiencies of tear components even though not resolving the underlying conditions of the disease is evident. The vast majority of new compounds under development are anti-inflammatories, steroids, non-steroids and antibiotics; however, there are also some novel lubricating drops and mucin-tear secretagogues. A future aggressive therapy for dry eye, depending on the severity of the symptoms, would include combinations of soft steroids, anti-inflammatories, such as cyclosporine A, with the addition of the new polyvalent mucin and tear secretagogues.

  16. Four Cases of Pediatric Photokeratitis Present to the Emergency Department After Watching the Same Theater Show.

    PubMed

    Mangan, Mehmet Serhat; Arıcı, Ceyhun; Atalay, Eray; Tanyıldız, Burak; Oruçoğlu, Faik

    2015-10-01

    We report four consecutive cases of photokeratitis that presented to the emergency department, interestingly after having watched the same theatre performance in the same school. The patients' ages (3 male, 1 female) ranged from 9 to 13 years. All patients presented with similar complaints consisting of pain, tearing, foreign body sensation, photophobia and blurred vision in both eyes. Patients reported watching a theatre performance in the same school approximately 4 hours before symptom onset. On slit-lamp examination, conjunctival injection and corneal punctate epithelial erosions were observed in the interpalpebral zone in both eyes. On fundus examination, no pathology was observed in the vitreous, posterior pole or peripheral retina. All cases were treated with topical antibiotics and lubricant eye drops. Corneas were clear two days later in the control visit. In this case report, exposure to ultraviolet light from high-power lamps used in the theatre was proposed as a possible cause of corneal epithelial cell damage and subsequent photokeratitis.

  17. Motion of a Drop on a Solid Surface Due to a Wettability Gradient

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Subramanian, R.; Moumen, Nadjoua; McLaughlin, John B.

    2005-01-01

    The hydrodynamic force experienced by a spherical-cap drop moving on a solid surface is obtained from two approximate analytical solutions and used to predict the quasi-steady speed of the drop in a wettability gradient. One solution is based on approximation of the shape of the drop as a collection of wedges, and the other is based on lubrication theory. Also, asymptotic results from both approximations for small contact angles, as well as an asymptotic result from lubrication theory that is good when the length scale of the drop is large compared with the slip length, are given. The results for the hydrodynamic force also can be used to predict the quasi-steady speed of a drop sliding down an incline.

  18. Dynamics of viscous drops confined in a rough medium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keiser, Ludovic; Gas, Armelle; Jaafar, Khalil; Bico, Jose; Reyssat, Etienne

    2017-11-01

    We focus on the dynamics of viscous and non-wetting ``pancake'' droplets of oil conned in a vertical Hele-Shaw cell filled with a less viscous surfactant solution. These dense drops settle at constant velocity driven by gravity. The surfactant solution completely wets the walls, and a thin lubrication film separates the drops from the walls. With smooth walls, two main dynamical regimes are characterized as the gap between the walls is varied. Viscous dissipation is found to dominate either in the droplet or in the lubrication film, depending on the ratio of viscosities and length scales. A sharp transition between both regimes is observed and successfully captured by asymptotic models. With rough walls, that transition is dramatically altered. Drops are generally much slower in a rough Hele-Shaw cell, in comparison with a similar smooth cell. Building up on the seminal works of Seiwert et al. (J.F.M. 2011) on film deposition by dip coating on a rough surface, we shed light on the non-trivial friction processes resulting from the interplay of viscous dissipation at the front of the drop, in the lubrication film and in the bulk of the drop. We acknowledge funding from Total S.A.

  19. A review on recent advances in dry eye: Pathogenesis and management

    PubMed Central

    Bhavsar, Ankita S.; Bhavsar, Samir G.; Jain, Sunita M.

    2011-01-01

    Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, more commonly known as dry eye, is an extremely common and often unrecognized disease. It is the condition in ophthalmology that in its mild grade of severity will affect most of the population at one time or other. Due to a wide variety of presentations and symptoms, it often frustrates the ophthalmologists as well as patients. Due to multifactorial and elusive etiology, it is often challenging to treat dry eye. Ocular surface disorders are also clinically important to treat especially in terms of visual acuity. Xero-dacryology is therefore becoming a very important branch of ophthalmology. Recent studies have given insight into the inflammatory etiology of dry eye. The conventional and main approach to the treatment of dry eye is providing lubricating eye drops or tear substitutes. However, the newer treatment approach is to target the underlying cause of dry eye instead of conventional symptomatic relief. In light of the above knowledge, the present article focuses on newer theories on pathogenesis of dry eye and their impact on dry eye management. Method of Literature Search: A systematic literature review was performed using PubMed databases in two steps. The first step was oriented to articles published for dry eye. The second step was focused on the role of inflammation and anti-inflammatory therapy for dry eye. The search strategy was not limited by year of publication. A manual literature search was also undertaken from authentic reference books on ocular surface disease. PMID:21897618

  20. Biomarkers of oxidative stress and cataract. Novel drug delivery therapeutic strategies targeting telomere reduction and the expression of telomerase activity in the lens epithelial cells with N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops: anti-cataract which helps to prevent and treat cataracts in the eyes of dogs and other animals.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A; Yegorov, Yegor E

    2014-01-01

    Cataracts in small animals are shown to be at least partially caused by oxidative damage to lens epithelial cells (LECs) and the internal lens; biomarkers of oxidative stress in the lens are considered as general biomarkers for life expectancy in the canine and other animals. Telomeres lengths and expressed telomerase activity in canine LECs may serve as important monitors of oxidative damage in normal LECs with documented higher levels of telomerase activity in cataractous LECs during cells' lifespan. Loss of functional telomere length below a critical threshold in LECs of canines during the effect of UV and chronic oxidative stress or metabolic failure, can activate programs leading to LEC senescence or death. Telomerase is induced in LECs of canines at critical stages of cataractogenesis initiation and exposure to oxidative stress through the involvement of catalytically active prooxidant transition metal (iron) ions. This work documents that transition metal ions (such as, ferrous ions- catalytic oxidants) might induce premature senescence in LECs of canines, telomere shortening with increased telomerase activity as adaptive response to UV light, oxidative and metabolic stresses. The therapeutic treatment with 1% N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) prodrug delivery is beneficial for prevention and dissolution of ripe cataracts in canines. This biological activity is based on the findings of ferroxidase activity pertinent to the dipeptide carnosine released ophthalmically from NAC prodrug of L-carnosine, stabilizing properties of carnosine on biological membranes based on the ability of the imidazole-containing dipeptides to interact with lipid peroxidation products and reactive oxygen species (ROS), to prevent membrane damage and delute the associated with membrane fragements protein aggregates. The advent of therapeutic treatment of cataracts in canines with N-acetylcarnosine lubricant eye drops through targeting the prevention of loss of functional telomere length below a critical threshold and "flirting" with an indirect effect with telomerase expression in LECs of canines during the effects of UV, chronic oxidative stress increases the successful rate of cataract management challenges in home veterinary care.

  1. Effect of chitosan-N-acetylcysteine conjugate in a mouse model of botulinum toxin B-induced dry eye.

    PubMed

    Hongyok, Teeravee; Chae, Jemin J; Shin, Young Joo; Na, Daero; Li, Li; Chuck, Roy S

    2009-04-01

    To evaluate the effect of a thiolated polymer lubricant, chitosan-N-acetylcysteine conjugate (C-NAC), in a mouse model of dry eye. Eye drops containing 0.5% C-NAC, 0.3% C-NAC, a vehicle (control group), artificial tears, or fluorometholone were applied in a masked fashion in a mouse model of induced dry eye from 3 days to 4 weeks after botulinum toxin B injection. Corneal fluorescein staining was periodically recorded. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining were performed at the end of the study to evaluate inflammatory cytokine expressions. Mice treated with C-NAC, 0.5%, and fluorometholone showed a downward trend that was not statistically significant in corneal staining compared with the other groups. Chitosan-NAC formulations, fluorometholone, and artificial tears significantly decreased IL-1beta (interleukin 1beta), IL-10, IL-12alpha, and tumor necrosis factor alpha expression in ocular surface tissues. The botulinum toxin B-induced dry eye mouse model is potentially useful in evaluating new dry eye treatment. Evaluation of important molecular biomarkers suggests that C-NAC may impart some protective ocular surface properties. However, clinical data did not indicate statistically significant improvement of tear production and corneal staining in any of the groups tested. Topically applied C-NAC might protect the ocular surface in dry eye syndrome, as evidenced by decreased inflammatory cytokine expression.

  2. Pinguecula

    MedlinePlus

    ... exposure and eye irritation may be factors. Arc-welding is a major job-related risk. Symptoms A ... include: Keeping the eye well lubricated Wearing good quality sunglasses Avoiding eye irritants Images Eye anatomy References ...

  3. Computer vision syndrome: a review.

    PubMed

    Blehm, Clayton; Vishnu, Seema; Khattak, Ashbala; Mitra, Shrabanee; Yee, Richard W

    2005-01-01

    As computers become part of our everyday life, more and more people are experiencing a variety of ocular symptoms related to computer use. These include eyestrain, tired eyes, irritation, redness, blurred vision, and double vision, collectively referred to as computer vision syndrome. This article describes both the characteristics and treatment modalities that are available at this time. Computer vision syndrome symptoms may be the cause of ocular (ocular-surface abnormalities or accommodative spasms) and/or extraocular (ergonomic) etiologies. However, the major contributor to computer vision syndrome symptoms by far appears to be dry eye. The visual effects of various display characteristics such as lighting, glare, display quality, refresh rates, and radiation are also discussed. Treatment requires a multidirectional approach combining ocular therapy with adjustment of the workstation. Proper lighting, anti-glare filters, ergonomic positioning of computer monitor and regular work breaks may help improve visual comfort. Lubricating eye drops and special computer glasses help relieve ocular surface-related symptoms. More work needs to be done to specifically define the processes that cause computer vision syndrome and to develop and improve effective treatments that successfully address these causes.

  4. Human lacrimal gland regeneration: Perspectives and review of literature

    PubMed Central

    Tiwari, Shubha; Ali, Mohammad Javed; Vemuganti, Geeta K.

    2013-01-01

    The human lacrimal gland is an essential component of the lacrimal functional unit (LFU). Any perturbation of this unit can lead to the debilitating morbid condition called the dry eye syndrome (DES). The current line of therapy available for dry eye remains supportive and palliative with the patient being dependent on life long and frequent administration of lubricating eye drops. Even advanced therapies like punctual plugs, cyclosporine B administration, and salivary gland auto-transplantation have led to a limited success. Under these scenarios, the option of cell based therapy needs to be explored to provide better and long term relief to these patients. This review gives an overview of the efforts in lacrimal gland regeneration and examines the past and ongoing research in cell based therapies in animals as well as human lacrimal gland cultures. The authors discuss their first of its kind functionally viable human lacrimal gland in vitro culture system from fresh exenteration specimens. A brief overview of research in near future and the potential implications of lacrimal gland regenerative therapies have been discussed. PMID:24526853

  5. Human lacrimal gland regeneration: Perspectives and review of literature.

    PubMed

    Tiwari, Shubha; Ali, Mohammad Javed; Vemuganti, Geeta K

    2014-01-01

    The human lacrimal gland is an essential component of the lacrimal functional unit (LFU). Any perturbation of this unit can lead to the debilitating morbid condition called the dry eye syndrome (DES). The current line of therapy available for dry eye remains supportive and palliative with the patient being dependent on life long and frequent administration of lubricating eye drops. Even advanced therapies like punctual plugs, cyclosporine B administration, and salivary gland auto-transplantation have led to a limited success. Under these scenarios, the option of cell based therapy needs to be explored to provide better and long term relief to these patients. This review gives an overview of the efforts in lacrimal gland regeneration and examines the past and ongoing research in cell based therapies in animals as well as human lacrimal gland cultures. The authors discuss their first of its kind functionally viable human lacrimal gland in vitro culture system from fresh exenteration specimens. A brief overview of research in near future and the potential implications of lacrimal gland regenerative therapies have been discussed.

  6. Different cellular effects of four anti-inflammatory eye drops on human corneal epithelial cells: independent in active components.

    PubMed

    Qu, Mingli; Wang, Yao; Yang, Lingling; Zhou, Qingjun

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate and compare the cellular effects of four commercially available anti-inflammatory eye drops and their active components on human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) in vitro. The cellular effects of four eye drops (Bromfenac Sodium Hydrate Eye Drops, Pranoprofen Eye Drops, Diclofenac Sodium Eye Drops, and Tobramycin & Dex Eye Drops) and their corresponding active components were evaluated in an HCEC line with five in vitro assays. Cell proliferation and migration were measured using 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3 5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay and transwell migration assay. Cell damage was determined with the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Cell viability and median lethal time (LT₅₀) were measured by 7-amino-actinomycin D (7-AAD) staining and flow cytometry analysis. Cellular effects after exposure of HCECs to the four anti-inflammatory eye drops were concentration dependent. The differences of cellular toxicity on cell proliferation became significant at lower concentrations (<0.002%). Diclofenac Sodium Eye Drops showed significant increasing effects on cell damage and viability when compared with the other three solutions. Tobramycin & Dex Eye Drops inhibited the migration of HCECs significantly. Tobramycin & Dex Eye Drops showed the quickest effect on cell viability: the LT₅₀ was 3.28, 9.23, 10.38, and 23.80 min for Tobramycin & Dex Eye Drops, Diclofenac Sodium Eye Drops, Pranoprofen Eye Drops, and Bromfenac Sodium Hydrate Eye Drops, respectively. However, the comparisons of cellular toxicity revealed significant differences between the eye drops and their active components under the same concentration. The corneal epithelial toxicity differences among the active components of the four eye drops became significant as higher concentration (>0.020%). The four anti-inflammatory eye drops showed different cellular effects on HCECs, and the toxicity was not related with their active components, which provides new reference for the clinical application and drug research and development.

  7. Effect of Viscous Agents on Corneal Density in Dry Eye Disease.

    PubMed

    Wegener, Alfred R; Meyer, Linda M; Schönfeld, Carl-Ludwig

    2015-10-01

    To investigate the effect of the viscous agents, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carbomer, povidone, and a combination of HPMC and povidone on corneal density in patients with dry eye disease. In total, 98 eyes of 49 patients suffering from dry eye and 65 eyes of 33 healthy age-matched individuals were included in this prospective, randomized study. Corneal morphology was documented with Scheimpflug photography and corneal density was analyzed in 5 anatomical layers (epithelium, bowman membrane, stroma, descemet's membrane, and endothelium). Corneal density was evaluated for the active ingredients HPMC, carbomer, povidone, and a combination of HPMC and povidone as the viscous agents contained in the artificial tear formulations used by the dry eye patients. Data were compared to the age-matched healthy control group without medication. Corneal density in dry eye patients was reduced in all 5 anatomical layers compared to controls. Corneal density was highest and very close to control in patients treated with HPMC containing ocular lubricants. Patients treated with lubricants, including carbomer as the viscous agent displayed a significant reduction of corneal density in layers 1 and 2 compared to control. HPMC containing ocular lubricants can help to maintain physiological corneal density and may be beneficial in the treatment of dry eye disease.

  8. Ectropion

    MedlinePlus

    ... lubricant) may ease dryness and keep the cornea moist. Ointment may be helpful when the eye can't ... to: Corneal abrasions Corneal ulcers Eye infections Corneal ulcers can cause vision ... Images Eye ...

  9. How glaucoma patient characteristics, self-efficacy, and patient-provider communication are associated with eye drop technique

    PubMed Central

    Sayner, Robyn; Carpenter, Delesha M; Robin, Alan L; Blalock, Susan J; Muir, Kelly W; Vitko, Michelle; Hartnett, Mary Elizabeth; Lawrence, Scott D; Giangiacomo, Annette L; Tudor, Gail; Goldsmith, Jason A; Sleath, Betsy

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which patient characteristics, eye drop technique self-efficacy, and ophthalmologist–patient communication about eye drop administration are associated with glaucoma patients’ ability to instil a single drop, have the drop land in the eye, and avoid touching the applicator tip of the medication bottle to the eye or face while self-administering eye drops. Methods Glaucoma patients (n = 279) were recruited from six ophthalmology clinics. Medical visits were videotape-recorded. Afterwards, patients were interviewed and demonstrated administering an eye drop on a videotaped-recording. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyse the data. Key findings Ophthalmologists provided eye drop administration instruction to 40 patients. Patients with more years of education were significantly more likely to both instil a single drop (P = 0.017) and have the drop land in their eye (P = 0.017). Women were significantly more likely to touch the applicator tip to their eyes or face (P = 0.014). Patients with severe glaucoma (P = 0.016), women (P = 0.026), and patients who asked at least one eye drop administration question (P = 0.001) were significantly less likely to instil a single drop. Patients with arthritis were significantly less likely to have the drop land in their eye (P = 0.008). African American patients were significantly less likely to touch the applicator tip to their eyes or face (P = 0.008). Conclusions Some glaucoma patients have a difficult time self-administering eye drops. As so few patients received eye drop administration instruction from their providers, there is an opportunity for pharmacists to complement care. PMID:26303667

  10. How glaucoma patient characteristics, self-efficacy and patient-provider communication are associated with eye drop technique.

    PubMed

    Sayner, Robyn; Carpenter, Delesha M; Robin, Alan L; Blalock, Susan J; Muir, Kelly W; Vitko, Michelle; Hartnett, Mary Elizabeth; Lawrence, Scott D; Giangiacomo, Annette L; Tudor, Gail; Goldsmith, Jason A; Sleath, Betsy

    2016-04-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which patient characteristics, eye drop technique self-efficacy, and ophthalmologist-patient communication about eye drop administration are associated with glaucoma patients' ability to instil a single drop, have the drop land in the eye, and avoid touching the applicator tip of the medication bottle to the eye or face while self-administering eye drops. Glaucoma patients (n = 279) were recruited from six ophthalmology clinics. Medical visits were videotape-recorded. Afterwards, patients were interviewed and demonstrated administering an eye drop on a videotaped-recording. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyse the data. Ophthalmologists provided eye drop administration instruction to 40 patients. Patients with more years of education were significantly more likely to both instil a single drop (P = 0.017) and have the drop land in their eye (P = 0.017). Women were significantly more likely to touch the applicator tip to their eyes or face (P = 0.014). Patients with severe glaucoma (P = 0.016), women (P = 0.026), and patients who asked at least one eye drop administration question (P = 0.001) were significantly less likely to instil a single drop. Patients with arthritis were significantly less likely to have the drop land in their eye (P = 0.008). African American patients were significantly less likely to touch the applicator tip to their eyes or face (P = 0.008). Some glaucoma patients have a difficult time self-administering eye drops. As so few patients received eye drop administration instruction from their providers, there is an opportunity for pharmacists to complement care. © 2015 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  11. Changes in the Body with Aging

    MedlinePlus

    ... interfere with lubricating the eyeball and contribute to dry eyes. The eye may appear to sink into the ... in the lens of the eye increase glare. Dry eyes The number of cells that produce fluids to ...

  12. Structure and microanalysis of tear film ferning of camel tears, human tears, and Refresh Plus.

    PubMed

    Am, Masmali; Ra, Fagehi; El-Naggar, Ahmad H; Tm, Almubrad

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the tear ferning pattern and chemical elements of the tear film of camel tears compared with human tears and Refresh Plus eye lubricant. Refresh Plus was used as a control because it provides a healthy ferning pattern, due to the presence of an optimum ratio of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) sodium and electrolytes. The main research focus is elucidating the viability of camel tear film in the dry, harsh environment of the desert. The tears were collected from five camels, five male desert workers (20-25 years old) at a small village located 100 km from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and five male subjects (20-25 years old) from Riyadh. A small drop (1 μl) of tears was dried on a glass slide and observed under a light (Olympus BX1) and scanning electron microscope (Inspect S50, Field Electron and Ion Company [FEI]). Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) of the tear film and Refresh Plus were investigated with a JEOL 1400 scanning transmission electron microscope. The camel tear film pattern was surrounded by thick, peripheral, homogenous layers containing small oily droplets, particles, and tiny branches in the tear ferning. The tear ferning of the camel was grade 0-1, whereas the tear ferning of human tears and Refresh Plus was grade 1-2. The mass percentage of chloride was highest in the camel tears. The mass percentage of potassium in the camel tears was greater than that in the human tears, but it was less than that in the Refresh Plus lubricant. Camel tears exhibit a better quality than human tears and Refresh Plus lubricant do. The presence of oily droplet-like structures at the periphery of tear ferning suggests that camel tear film may have a higher quality and quantity of minerals and lubricants, which may help the animal to avoid eye dryness. Future work is required to investigate the identification of the elements present in the peripheral and central part of the tear ferning.

  13. Bowman Break and Subbasal Nerve Plexus Changes in a Patient With Dry Eye Presenting With Chronic Ocular Pain and Vitamin D Deficiency.

    PubMed

    Shetty, Rohit; Deshpande, Kalyani; Deshmukh, Rashmi; Jayadev, Chaitra; Shroff, Rushad

    2016-05-01

    To report the case of a 40-year-old patient with persistent bilateral ocular pain and discomfort for 2 years in whom conventional management of dry eye had failed. Detailed ocular examination, meibography, and tear film evaluation were suggestive of bilateral meibomian gland dysfunction and evaporative dry eye. Topical medication failed to alleviate the patient's symptoms. To identify the cause of pain, imaging was performed with in vivo confocal microscopy and anterior segment spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Systemic evaluation revealed severe vitamin D deficiency with a value of 5.86 ng/mL. Case report. In vivo confocal microscopy showed abnormal subbasal nerve plexus morphology, increased dendritic cell density, and enlarged terminal nerve sprouts. A breach in the Bowman layer was detected in both eyes on spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Conventional management having failed, LipiFlow treatment (TearScience, Morrisville, NC) was performed and topical therapy with cyclosporine 0.05%, steroids, and lubricating eye drops was initiated with incomplete symptomatic relief. However, with parenteral therapy for vitamin D deficiency, there was a dramatic improvement in the patient's symptoms. Inflammation aggravated by vitamin D deficiency results in an altered epithelial profile, Bowman layer damage, recruitment of dendritic cells, and altered subbasal nerve plexus features in patients with chronic dry eye disease. These can serve as potential imaging markers for studying the underlying mechanisms in patients with dry eye disease with persisting symptoms despite aggressive conventional treatment.

  14. Cyclodextrins in eye drop formulations: enhanced topical delivery of corticosteroids to the eye.

    PubMed

    Loftsson, Thorsteinn; Stefánsson, Einar

    2002-04-01

    Cyclodextrins are cylindrical oligosaccharides with a lipophilic central cavity and hydrophilic outer surface. They can form water-soluble complexes with lipophilic drugs, which 'hide' in the cavity. Cyclodextrins can be used to form aqueous eye drop solutions with lipophilic drugs, such as steroids and some carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. The cyclodextrins increase the water solubility of the drug, enhance drug absorption into the eye, improve aqueous stability and reduce local irritation. Cyclodextrins are useful excipients in eye drop formulations of various drugs, including steroids of any kind, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, pilocarpine, cyclosporins, etc. Their use in ophthalmology has already begun and is likely to expand the selection of drugs available as eye drops. In this paper we review the properties of cyclodextrins and their application in eye drop formulations, of which their use in the formulation of dexamethasone eye drops is an example. Cyclodextrins have been used to formulate eye drops containing corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, with levels of concentration and ocular absorption which, according to human and animal studies, are many times those seen with presently available formulations. Cyclodextrin-based dexamethasone eye drops are well tolerated in the eye and seem to provide a higher degree of bioavailability and clinical efficiency than the steroid eye drop formulations presently available. Such formulations offer the possibility of once per day application of corticosteroid eye drops after eye surgery, and more intensive topical steroid treatment in severe inflammation. While cyclodextrins have been known for more than a century, their use in ophthalmology is just starting. Cyclodextrins are useful excipients in eye drop formulations for a variety of lipophilic drugs. They will facilitate eye drop formulations for drugs that otherwise might not be available for topical use, while improving absorption and stability and decreasing local irritation.

  15. Creation of nano eye-drops and effective drug delivery to the interior of the eye

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ikuta, Yoshikazu; Aoyagi, Shigenobu; Tanaka, Yuji; Sato, Kota; Inada, Satoshi; Koseki, Yoshitaka; Onodera, Tsunenobu; Oikawa, Hidetoshi; Kasai, Hitoshi

    2017-03-01

    Nano eye-drops are a new type of ophthalmic treatment with increased potency and reduced side effects. Compounds in conventional eye-drops barely penetrate into the eye because the cornea, located at the surface of eye, has a strong barrier function for preventing invasion of hydrophilic or large-sized materials from the outside. In this work, we describe the utility of nano eye-drops utilising brinzolamide, a commercially available glaucoma treatment drug, as a target compound. Fabrication of the nanoparticles of brinzolamide prodrug increases the eye penetration rate and results in high drug efficacy, compared with that of commercially available brinzolamide eye-drops formulated as micro-sized structures. In addition, the resulting nano eye-drops were not toxic to the corneal epithelium after repeated administration for 1 week. The nano eye-drops may have applications as a next-generation ophthalmic treatment.

  16. Evaluation of minimum quantity lubrication grinding with nano-particles and recent related patents.

    PubMed

    Li, Changhe; Wang, Sheng; Zhang, Qiang; Jia, Dongzhou

    2013-06-01

    In recent years, a large number of patents have been devoted to developing minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) grinding techniques that can significantly improve both environmentally conscious and energy saving and costeffective sustainable grinding fluid alternatives. Among them, one patent is about a supply system for the grinding fluid in nano-particle jet MQL, which produced MQL lubricant by adding solid nano-particles in degradable grinding fluid. The MQL supply device turns the lubricant to the pulse drops with fixed pressure, unchanged pulse frequency and the same drop diameter. The drops will be produced and injected in the grinding zone in the form of jet flow under high pressure gas and air seal. As people become increasingly demanding on our environment, minimum quantity lubrication has been widely used in the grinding and processing. Yet, it presents the defect of insufficient cooling performance, which confines its development. To improve the heat transfer efficiency of MQL, nano-particles of a certain mass fraction can be added in the minimum quantity of lubricant oil, which concomitantly will improve the lubrication effects in the processing. In this study, the grinding experiment corroborated the effect of nano-particles in surface grinding. In addition, compared with other forms of lubrication, the results presented that the grinding force, the friction coefficient and specific grinding energy of MQL grinding have been significantly weakened, while G ratio greatly rose. These are attributed to the friction oil-film with excellent anti-friction and anti-wear performance, which is generated nano-particles at the wheel/workpiece interface. In this research, the cooling performance of nano-particle jet MQL was analyzed. Based on tests and experiments, the surface temperature was assayed from different methods, including flood lubricating oil, dry grinding, MQL grinding and nano-particle jet MQL grinding. Because of the outstanding heat transfer performance of nano-particles, the ratio of heat delivered by grinding media was increased, leading to lower temperature in the grinding zone. Results demonstrate that nano-particle jet MQL has satisfactory cooling performance as well as a promising future of extensive application.

  17. Triple-layer configuration for stable high-speed lubricated pipeline transport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarmadi, Parisa; Hormozi, Sarah; Frigaard, Ian A.

    2017-04-01

    Lubricated transport of heavy viscous oils is a popular technology in the pipelining industry, where pumping pressures can be reduced significantly by concentrating the strain rate in a lubricating layer. However, the interface between the lubricating layer and heavy oil is vulnerable to any perturbations in the system as well as transients due to start up, shut down, temperature change, etc. We present a method in which we purposefully position an unyielded skin of a viscoplastic fluid between the oil and the lubricating fluid. The objective is to reduce the frictional pressure gradient while avoiding interfacial instability. We study this methodology in both concentric and eccentric configurations and show its feasibility for a wide range of geometric and flow parameters found in oil pipelining. The eccentric configuration benefits the transport process via generating lift forces to balance the density differences among the layers. We use classical lubrication theory to estimate the leading order pressure distribution in the lubricating layer and calculate the net force on the skin. We explore the effects of skin shape, viscosity ratio, and geometry on the pressure drop, the flow rates of skin and lubricant fluids, and the net force on the skin. We show that the viscosity ratio and the radius of the core fluid are the main parameters that control the pressure drop and consumptions of outer fluids, respectively. The shape of the skin and the eccentricity mainly affect the lubrication pressure. These predictions are essential in designing a stable transport process. Finally, we estimate the yield stress required in order that the skin remain unyielded and ensure interfacial stability.

  18. Antioxidant and inflammatory cytokine in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome treated with preservative-free versus preserved eye drops.

    PubMed

    Jee, Donghyun; Park, Sang Hee; Kim, Man Soo; Kim, Eun Chul

    2014-07-03

    To compare the antioxidant and inflammatory cytokine activities in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome treated with preservative-free versus preserved eye drops. A total of 100 patients with moderate to severe dry eye syndrome were randomly divided into two groups. Fifty patients (group 1) were treated four times with preservative-free 0.1% sodium hyaluronate and 0.1% fluorometholone eye drops in the first month and with preservative-free 0.1% sodium hyaluronate and 0.05% cyclosporine eye drops in the second and third months. Another 50 patients (group 2) were treated with preserved eye drops on the same schedule. Ocular Surface Disease Index, corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer I test, tear film breakup time, impression cytology, and antioxidant and inflammatory cytokine activities in tears were evaluated. Treatment with preservative-free eye drops led to significant improvements in symptoms, tear film breakup time, Schirmer I score, and impression cytologic findings compared to treatment with preserved eye drops (P < 0.05) in patients with dry eye syndrome. There was a statistically significant decrease in the IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α concentrations and a statistically significant increase in the catalase, peroxiredoxin 2, superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD 2), and thioredoxin mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of tears in the preservative-free group at 1, 2, and 3 months compared to initial values, respectively (P < 0.05). Treatment with preservative-free eye drops is effective against the dry eye syndrome. Preservative-free eye drops seem to be more effective than preserved eye drops in decreasing ocular inflammation and in increasing antioxidant contents in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  19. Management of dry eye in UK pharmacies.

    PubMed

    Bilkhu, Paramdeep S; Wolffsohn, James S; Tang, Gou W; Naroo, Shehzad A

    2014-10-01

    To investigate the ability of pharmacy staff in the United Kingdom (UK) to diagnose and treat dry eye. A mystery shopper technique to simulate a patient with presumed dry eye was used in 50 pharmacy practices in major towns and cities across the UK. Pharmacies were unaware of their involvement in the study. With the exception of a predetermined opening statement to initiate the consultation, no further information was volunteered. Questions asked, diagnoses given, management strategy advised and staff type was recorded immediately after the consultation. The mean number of questions was 4.5 (SD 1.7; range 1-10). The most common question was the duration of symptoms (56%) and the least common was whether the patient had a history of headaches (2%). All pharmacy staff gave a diagnosis, but the majority were incorrect (58%), with only 42% correctly identifying dry eye. Treatment was advised by 92% of pharmacy staff, with the remaining 8% advising referral directly to the patient's GP or optometrist. Dry eye treatments involved topical ocular lubrication via eye drops (90%) and lipid based sprays (10%). However, only 10% gave administration advice, 10% gave dosage advice, 9% asked about contact lens wear, and none offered follow up although 15% also advised GP or optometrist referral. There is a need for improved ophthalmological training amongst pharmacists and pharmacy staff and establishment of cross referral relationships between pharmacies and optometry practices. Copyright © 2014 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Toxic keratopathy associated with abuse of low-dose anesthetic: a case report.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hsiao-Ting; Chen, Ko-Hua; Hsu, Wen-Ming

    2004-07-01

    To describe the clinical course and treatment of toxic keratopathy associated with abuse of topical anesthetic at a very low concentration, 0.05%. Case report. A 47-year-old female systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patient with blurred vision and irritated right eye was referred to the ophthalmology department of our hospital. Under slit-lamp microscope, a 5.5 x 4.5 mm central corneal epithelial defect with underlying infiltrative and opaque stroma was noted in her right eye. Two weeks before, a corneal ulcer was diagnosed, and oxybuprocaine 0.05% (Lacrimin, Santen, Osaka, Japan) eye drops were prescribed 4 times daily but used every 5 to 10 minutes because the right eye was severely irritated. She was admitted immediately under the impression of toxic corneal ulcer. Preservative-free lubricants and prophylactic topical antibiotics 4 times daily were applied. Therapeutic soft contact lens was started after no infective agents were detected. Two weeks later, the stromal infiltration subsided, and the corneal epithelium was slowly healing, but superficial punctate epithelial defects at the lesion site persisted for another 6 months. The vision of her right eye improved from finger-counting at a 30-cm distance to 20/1200 with correction. Toxic keratopathy may result from abuse of topically administered anesthetics even at a very low concentration, 0.05%. Because this SLE patient has tear problems, we suggest that topical anesthetics must be used very cautiously and never prescribed to patients with dry eyes where the integrity of ocular surface is altered.

  1. Management of digital eye strain.

    PubMed

    Coles-Brennan, Chantal; Sulley, Anna; Young, Graeme

    2018-05-23

    Digital eye strain, an emerging public health issue, is a condition characterised by visual disturbance and/or ocular discomfort related to the use of digital devices and resulting from a range of stresses on the ocular environment. This review aims to provide an overview of the extensive literature on digital eye strain research with particular reference to the clinical management of symptoms. As many as 90 per cent of digital device users experience symptoms of digital eye strain. Many studies suggest that the following factors are associated with digital eye strain: uncorrected refractive error (including presbyopia), accommodative and vergence anomalies, altered blinking pattern (reduced rate and incomplete blinking), excessive exposure to intense light, closer working distance, and smaller font size. Since a symptom may be caused by one or more factors, a holistic approach should be adopted. The following management strategies have been suggested: (i) appropriate correction of refractive error, including astigmatism and presbyopia; (ii) management of vergence anomalies, with the aim of inducing or leaving a small amount of heterophoria (~1.5 Δ Exo); (iii) blinking exercise/training to maintain normal blinking pattern; (iv) use of lubricating eye drops (artificial tears) to help alleviate dry eye-related symptoms; (v) contact lenses with enhanced comfort, particularly at end-of-day and in challenging environments; (vi) prescription of colour filters in all vision correction options, especially blue light-absorbing filters; and (vii) management of accommodative anomalies. Prevention is the main strategy for management of digital eye strain, which involves: (i) ensuring an ergonomic work environment and practice (through patient education and the implementation of ergonomic workplace policies); and (ii) visual examination and eye care to treat visual disorders. Special consideration is needed for people at a high risk of digital eye strain, such as computer workers and contact lens wearers. © 2018 Optometry Australia.

  2. Topical drug delivery to the eye: dorzolamide.

    PubMed

    Loftsson, Thorsteinn; Jansook, Phatsawee; Stefánsson, Einar

    2012-11-01

    Topically applied carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) in eye drop solutions are commonly used to treat glaucoma. However, local eye irritation and multiple daily administrations may hamper their clinical usefulness. Aqueous eye drop formulations that improve their topical bioavailability and reduce their eye irritation can improve their clinical efficacy. Earlier studies showed that dorzolamide and closely related CAIs are more effectively delivered into the eye from acidic eye drop solutions than from comparable neutral solutions. Consequently, dorzolamide was marketed as an aqueous pH 5.6 eye drop solution (Trusopt(®) , Merck). Later, it was shown that increasing the pH of the eye drops from pH 5.6 to physiologic pH significantly reduced their local irritation. Earlier attempts to use cyclodextrins (CDs) as ocular penetration enhancers in dorzolamide eye drop solutions failed since; although the CDs were able to enhance the aqueous solubility of dorzolamide, increasing the pH from 5.6 to physiologic pH reduced the ability of the drug to permeate into the eye. Later, it was discovered that formulating the drug as aqueous dorzolamide/γCD eye drop microparticle suspension resulted in significant bioavailability enhancement. The solid dorzolamide/γCD microparticles are mucoadhesive and release dorzolamide into the aqueous tear fluid for extended time period. Consequently, sustained high dorzolamide concentrations in aqueous humour and various eye tissues were observed after single administration of the aqueous dorzolamide/γCD eye drop microsuspension. The microsuspension has a potential of being developed into a once-a-day eye drop product. This article reviews the physicochemical properties of dorzolamide, its permeation characteristics and topical bioavailability. © 2012 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2012 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

  3. Friability Testing as a New Stress-Stability Assay for Biopharmaceuticals.

    PubMed

    Torisu, Tetsuo; Maruno, Takahiro; Yoneda, Saki; Hamaji, Yoshinori; Honda, Shinya; Ohkubo, Tadayasu; Uchiyama, Susumu

    2017-10-01

    A cycle of dropping and shaking a vial containing antibody solution was reported to induce aggregation. In this study, antibody solutions in glass prefillable syringes with or without silicone oil lubrication were subjected to the combined stresses of dropping and shaking, using a friability testing apparatus. Larger numbers of subvisible particles were generated, regardless of silicone oil lubrication, upon combination stress exposure than that with shaking stress alone. Nucleation of antibody molecules upon perturbation by an impact of dropping and adsorption of antibody molecules to the syringe surface followed by film formation and antibody film desorption were considered key steps in the particle formation promoted by combination stress. A larger number of silicone oil droplets was released when silicone oil-lubricated glass syringes containing phosphate buffer saline were exposed to combination stress than that observed with shaking stress alone. Polysorbate 20, a non-ionic surfactant, effectively reduced the number of protein particles, but failed to prevent silicone oil release upon combination stress exposure. This study indicates that stress-stability assays using the friability testing apparatus are effective for assessing the stability of biopharmaceuticals under the combined stresses of dropping and shaking, which have not been tested in conventional stress-stability assays. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Blinking

    MedlinePlus Videos and Cool Tools

    ... to prevent harmful substances from getting in the eyes. During the normal course of a day, a ... of 15 times a minute to keep the eyes healthy. The lacrimal gland provides lubricating fluid for ...

  5. Lubrication model for evaporation of binary sessile drops

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, Adam; Sáenz, Pedro; Karapetsas, George; Matar, Omar; Sefiane, Khellil; Valluri, Prashant

    2017-11-01

    Evaporation of a binary mixture sessile drop from a solid substrate is a highly dynamic and complex process with flow driven both thermal and solutal Marangoni stresses. Experiments on ethanol/water drops have identified chaotic regimes on both the surface and interior of the droplet, while mixture composition has also been seen to govern drop wettability. Using a lubrication-type approach, we present a finite element model for the evaporation of an axisymmetric binary drop deposited on a heated substrate. We consider a thin drop with a moving contact line, taking also into account the commonly ignored effects of inertia which drives interfacial instability. We derive evolution equations for the film height, the temperature and the concentration field considering that the mixture comprises two ideally mixed volatile components with a surface tension linearly dependent on both temperature and concentration. The properties of the mixture such as viscosity also vary locally with concentration. We explore the parameter space to examine the resultant effects on wetting and evaporation where we find qualitative agreement with experiments in both these areas. This enables us to understand the nature of the instabilities that spontaneously emerge over the drop lifetime. EPSRC - EP/K00963X/1.

  6. [A correct understanding of preservatives in eye drops].

    PubMed

    Liu, Zuguo; Huang, Caihong

    2015-09-01

    Eye drops are the most commonly used preparations in ophthalmology. Preservatives are usually added in order to protect eye drops against pathogenic organisms and increase the solubility of the drugs in multi-dose containers. Ophthalmologists have paid a lot of attention to the preservatives in eye drops because they remain one of the main reasons for ocular surface damage, and even may lead to serious visual impairment in patients with inappropriate use of eye drops. However, it should be noted that the dangers of preservatives become overstated nowadays. It is necessary to completely evaluate the effects of preservatives in ophthalmic preparations, so that ophthalmologists can guide patients to correctly select eye drops containing preservatives and avoid dangerous side effects, according to their eye disease situation, state of tear function and ocular surface changes, cultural background and financial income, cost and benefit and convenience of the use of drugs, and other factors. The direction of the future development in this field is to establish the clinical guideline for use of eye drops containing preservatives, carry out continuing education courses on preservatives and develop ideal preservatives.

  7. Conservative treatment for late-onset bleb leaks after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in patients with ocular surface disease

    PubMed Central

    Sagara, Hideto; Iida, Tomohiro; Saito, Kimimori; Noji, Hiroki; Ogasawara, Masashi; Oyamada, Hiroshi

    2012-01-01

    Background Sodium hyaluronate and autologous serum eye drops are used to treat ocular surface disease (OSD) and are reported to prevent and treat late-onset bleb leaks following trabeculectomy with mitomycin C. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of a combination of sodium hyaluronate and autologous serum eye drops and treatment for obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction as a therapy for late-onset bleb leaks after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C. Methods This was a retrospective, interventional, nonsimultaneous study of 12 subjects (12 eyes) of mean age of 64.3 ± 18.3 years with OSD and apparent late-onset bleb leaks following trabeculectomy with mitomycin C between 1998 and 2008. We compared patients diagnosed with leakages before July 2005, who had been treated with separate eye drop solutions containing 0.1% sodium hyaluronate, 50% autologous serum, and 0.3% ofloxacin (sodium hyaluronate and autologous serum group, n = 7), with patients diagnosed from August 2005 to December 2008, who were treated with a combination of eye drops (0.1% sodium hyaluronate, 50% autologous serum, and 0.08% levofloxacin hydrate) and eyelid massage and warm compresses for obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction (combination eye drop group, n = 5). Results Leakage was resolved in one patient (14.3%) in the separately treated sodium hyaluronate and autologous serum eye drop group and in five patients (100%) in the combination eye drop group (P = 0.015). The period after resolution of leakage with conservative treatment was 23 months in the one eye in the sodium hyaluronate and autologous serum group and 36–61 (mean 52.4 ± 10.1) months in the five eyes in the combination eye drop group. Conclusion Late-onset bleb leaks following trabeculectomy with mitomycin C can be treated effectively using a combination of sodium hyaluronate and autologous serum eye drops, eyelid massage, and warm compresses. Furthermore, combining eye drops may improve patient adherence to the drug regimen by decreasing the frequency of administration. PMID:22927739

  8. Corneal thickness values before and after oxybuprocaine 0.4% eye drops.

    PubMed

    Asensio, Isabel; Rahhal, Saleh M; Alonso, Luis; Palanca-Sanfrancisco, José M; Sanchis-Gimeno, Juan A

    2003-08-01

    To determine changes in corneal thickness after topical anesthesia. Corneal thickness was measured before and 3 minutes after administration of two drops of oxybuprocaine 0.4% to 26 patients (26 eyes). We analyzed the corneal thickness of a control group, which was made up of 26 patients (26 eyes) before and 3 minutes after administration of two drops of saline solution. Corneal thickness was measured with the Orbscan Topography System II (Bausch Lomb Surg., Barcelona). Variations higher than +/- 10 microm were found following the instillation of 2 oxybuprocaine eye drops in eight eyes (30.76%) at the inferonasal cornea, in six eyes (23.08%) at the superotemporal, temporal and inferotemporal cornea, in five eyes (19.23%) at the nasal cornea, in three eyes (11.53%) at the central cornea, and in two eyes (7.69%) at the superonasal cornea. Nevertheless, no significant differences in the mean corneal thickness at each corneal location between the first and the second corneal thickness measurements were found in anesthetized eyes. Some individuals can present important increases and decreases in corneal thickness values after anesthetic eye drops. This effect of anesthetic eye drops must be considered by refractive surgeons when carrying out preoperative laser in situ keratomileusis corneal thickness measurements.

  9. Research on the Injection Performance of a Novel Lubricating Device Based on Piezoelectric Micro-Jet Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Kai; Liu, Jun-kao; Chen, Wei-shan; Ye, Le; Zhang, Lu

    2016-08-01

    In order to solve the problem of lubrication failure in bearing systems, a novel lubricating device which can achieve drop-on-demand lubrication is proposed based on piezoelectric micro-jet technology. The injection performance of the novel piezoelectric micro-jet lubricating device are analyzed in this paper. The influences of the fluid-structure interaction to the working frequency are studied by comparing the results of tests with simulations. A method used to forecast the working frequency of the micro-jet is proved to be available. A velocity inlet boundary model at the nozzle is derived under the assumption that the lubricating oil cannot be pressed. Combined with this model, the influences of density, dynamic viscosity and surface tension of the lubricating oil on the injection performance are discussed according to the simulation results. An experiment on the injection performance of the micro-jet for ejecting lubricating oil with different dilution ratios is performed. The recommended excitations are given for ejecting lubricating oil with different properties by analyzing the results.

  10. The Larger the Viscosity, the Higher the Bounce

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stern, Menachem; Klein Schaarsberg, Martin; Peters, Ivo; Dodge, Kevin; Zhang, Wendy; Jaeger, Heinrich

    A low-viscosity liquid drop can bounce upon impact onto a solid. A high-viscosity drop typically just flattens, i.e., it splats. Surprisingly, our experiments with a droplet made of densely packed glass beads in silicone oil display the opposite behavior: the low-viscosity oil suspension drop splats. The high-viscosity oil suspension bounces. Increasing solvent viscosity increases the rebound energy. To gain insight into the underlying mechanism, we model the suspension as densely packed elastic spheres experiencing viscous lubrication drag between neighbors. The model reproduces the observed trends. Plots of elastic compression and drag experienced by the particles show that rebounds are made possible by (1) a fraction of the impact energy being stored during initial contact via elastic compression, (2) a rapid broadening of local lubrication drag interactions at the initial impact site into a spatially uniform upward force throughout the drop. Including finite wall drag due to the presence of ambient air into the numerical model diminishes and eventually cuts off the rebound.

  11. Difluprednate Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... tell you that you should not wear contact lenses during your treatment with difluprednate eye drops.you should know that difluprednate eye drops ... your regular dosing schedule. Do not apply extra eye drops to make up for a missed dose.

  12. 21 CFR 349.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... § 200.50, to be applied to the eyelid or instilled in the eye. (b) Astringent. A locally acting pharmacologic agent which, by precipitating protein, helps to clear mucus from the outer surface of the eye. (c..., usually a water-soluble polymer, which is applied topically to the eye to protect and lubricate mucous...

  13. 21 CFR 349.3 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... § 200.50, to be applied to the eyelid or instilled in the eye. (b) Astringent. A locally acting pharmacologic agent which, by precipitating protein, helps to clear mucus from the outer surface of the eye. (c..., usually a water-soluble polymer, which is applied topically to the eye to protect and lubricate mucous...

  14. [Manufacture of autologous serum eye drops for out-patient therapy : cooperation between ophthalmic clinic and transfusion medicine department].

    PubMed

    Dietrich, T; Weisbach, V; Seitz, B; Jacobi, C; Kruse, F E; Eckstein, R; Cursiefen, C

    2008-11-01

    Autologous serum eye drops are an important therapy option in severe ocular surface disorders and the therapeutic effectiveness has been demonstrated in many clinical studies. The production and use of autologous serum eye drops is strictly controlled by legal regulations in Germany: Both the German Medicines Act (AMG) and the Blood Transfusion Act regulate production, distribution and application, unless it is carried out by one person under controlled conditions in a hospital setting. In cooperation with the ophthalmic clinic and the department of transfusion medicine, a standard operating procedure (SOP) was developed and a license for production and delivery of autologous serum eye drops was obtained from the appropriate local authorities. The experiences of the first two years of practice were analyzed. By an interfaculty cooperation, the possibility of legal and feasible out-patient treatment with autologous eye drops has been established at the University Hospital Erlangen. From 07/2005 to 07/2007, there ware 240 prescriptions for autologous serum eye drops. Unexpectedly, a relatively high rate (3.3%) of patients with primarily unknown viral or bacterial infectious diseases were found, which were diagnosed during the screening. These patients had to be excluded from autologous serum eye drop therapy. The treatment with autologous serum eye drops in an out-patient setting is possible, when the infrastructure for manufacture and delivery is provided in accordance with existing regulations.

  15. Goji

    MedlinePlus

    ... people who are not taking medicine for diabetes. Dry eyes. Early research shows that using eye drops and ... ingredients for one month can improve symptoms of dry eyes better than using eye drops alone. It's not ...

  16. Effect of surfactant on single drop mass transfer for extraction of aromatics from lubricating oils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Izza, H.; Ben Abdessalam, S.; Korichi, M.

    2018-03-01

    Solvent extraction is an effective method for the reduction of the content of aromatic of lubricating oil. Frequently, with phenol, furfural, the NMP (out of N-methyl pyrrolidone). The power solvent and the selectivity can be still to increase while using surfactant as additive which facilitates the separation of phase and increases the yeild in raffinat. Liquid-liquid mass transfer coefficients for single freely rising drops in the presence of surfactant in an extraction column have been investigated. The surfactant used in this study was sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES). The experiments were performed by bubbling a solvent as a series of individual drops from the top of the column containing furfural-SLES solution. The column used in this experiment was made from glass with 17 mm inner diameter and a capacity of 125ml. The effects of the concentration of surfactant on the overall coefficient of mass transfer was investigated.

  17. Fluid film force control in lubricated journal bearings by means of a travelling wave generated with a piezoelectric actuators' system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iula, Antonio; Lamberti, Nicola; Savoia, Alessandro; Caliano, Giosue

    2012-05-01

    In this work an experimental evaluation of the possiblity to influence and control the fluid film forces in the gap of a lubricated journal bearing by means of a rotating travelling wave is carried out. The travellig wave is generated by two power actuators opportunely positioned on the outer surface of the bearing and electrically driven with a phase shift of 90°. Each transducer is designed to work at the natural frequency of the radial nonaxisymmetrical mode 0-5 (23.6 kHz). Experimental results show that the travelling wave is capable to control the motion of an oil drop on the inner surface of the bearing and that it is capable to put in rotation a rotor layed on the drop oil via the viscous forces in the oil drop itself.

  18. Surface tension propellant control for Viking 75 Orbiter

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dowdy, M. W.; Hise, R. E.; Peterson, R. G.; Debrock, S. C.

    1976-01-01

    The paper describes the selection, development and qualification of the surface tension system and includes results of low-g drop tower tests of scale models, 1-g simulation tests of low-g large ullage settling and liquid withdrawal, structural qualification tests, and propellant surface tension/contact angle studies. Subscale testing and analyses were used to evaluate the ability of the system to maintain or recover the desired propellant orientation following possible disturbances during the Viking mission. This effort included drop tower tests to demonstrate that valid wick paths exist for moving any displaced propellant back over the tank outlet. Variations in surface tension resulting from aging, temperature, and lubricant contamination were studied and the effects of surface finish, referee fluid exposure, aging, and lubricant contamination on contact angle were assessed. Results of movies of typical subscale drop tower tests and full scale slosh tests are discussed.

  19. Labial salivary gland transplantation for severe dry eye due to chemical burns and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

    PubMed

    Marinho, Diane R; Burmann, Tiana G; Kwitko, Sérgio

    2010-01-01

    Salivary gland transplantation has been a promising alternative for the treatment of dry eye syndrome. In this article, we describe the results of an autotransplant procedure of labial salivary glands in the upper conjunctival fornix of patients with severe dry eye. A total of 14 eyes from 14 patients presenting with Stevens-Johnson syndrome and chemical burns were prospectively analyzed after surgery (average follow-up of 14 months). We evaluated their underlying symptoms, visual acuity, biomicroscopy, Schirmer's test, break-up time, and need for lubricants before and after transplantation. All patients expressed improvement in their ocular discomfort. Nine eyes showed a slight best-corrected visual acuity improvement, while the vision of the remainder stayed stable. Corneal staining, present in all patients before surgery, was persistent in only four patients, but in a reduced area. Schirmer's test and break-up time showed significant increase in all patients (p < 0.05). In 71% of the patients, the use of lubricants was reduced. Labial salivary gland transplantation can improve the life quality of patients with compromised ocular surfaces who suffer from severe dry eye syndrome.

  20. Decrease in corneal damage due to benzalkonium chloride by the addition of sericin into timolol maleate eye drops.

    PubMed

    Nagai, Noriaki; Ito, Yoshimasa; Okamoto, Norio; Shimomura, Yoshikazu

    2013-01-01

    We investigated the protective effects of sericin on corneal damage due to benzalkonium chloride (BAC) used as a preservative in commercially available timolol maleate eye drops using rat debrided corneal epithelium and a human cornea epithelial cell line (HCE-T). Corneal wounds were monitored using a fundus camera TRC-50X equipped with a digital camera; eye drops were instilled into the rat eyes five times a day after corneal epithelial abrasion. The viability of HCE-T cells was calculated by TetraColor One; and Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739) were used to measure antimicrobial activity. The reducing effects on transcorneal penetration and intraocular pressure (IOP) of the eye drops were determined using rabbits. The corneal wound healing rate and rate constants (kH) as well as cell viability were higher following treatment with 0.005% BAC solution containing 0.1% sericin than in the case of treatment with BAC solution alone; the antimicrobial activity was approximately the same for BAC solutions with and without sericin. In addition, the kH for rat eyes instilled with commercially available timolol maleate eye drops containing 0.1% sericin was significantly higher than that of eyes instilled with timolol maleate eye drops without sericin, and the addition of sericin did not affect the corneal penetration or IOP reducing effect of commercially available timolol maleate eye drops. A preservative system comprising BAC and sericin may provide effective therapy for glaucoma patients requiring long-term anti-glaucoma agents.

  1. Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops stimulates scarless regeneration compared to autologous serum in the ocular surface stromal fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Anitua, E; de la Fuente, M; Muruzabal, F; Riestra, A; Merayo-Lloves, J; Orive, G

    2015-06-01

    Autologous serum (AS) eye drops was the first blood-derived product used for the treatment of corneal pathologies but nowadays PRGF arises as a novel interesting alternative to this type of diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the biological outcomes of autologous serum eye drops or Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops on corneal stromal keratocytes (HK) and conjunctival fibroblasts (HConF). To address this, blood from healthy donors was collected and processed to obtain autologous serum (AS) eye drops and plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops. Blood-derivates were aliquoted and stored at -80°C until use. PDGF-AB, VEGF, EGF, FGFb and TGF-β1 were quantified. The potential of PRGF and AS in promoting wound healing was evaluated by means of proliferation and migration assays in HK and HConF. Fibroblast cells were induced to myofibroblast differentiation after treatment with 2.5ng/mL of TGF-β1. The capability of PRGF and AS to prevent and inhibit TGF-β1-induced differentiation was evaluated. Results showed significant higher levels of all growth factors analyzed in PRGF eye drops compared to AS. Moreover, PRGF eye drops enhanced significantly the biological outcomes of both HK and HConF, and reduced TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation in contrast to autologous serum eye drops (AS). In summary, these results suggest that PRGF exerts enhanced biological outcomes than AS. PRGF may improve the treatment of ocular surface wound healing minimizing the scar formation compared to AS. Results obtained herein suggest that PRGF protects and reverses the myofibroblast phenotype while promotes cell proliferation and migration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Anisocoria Secondary to Anticholinergic Mydriasis from Homeopathic Pink Eye Relief Drops.

    PubMed

    Chen, Lin; Yeung, Joseph C; Anderson, Dennis R

    2017-12-01

    A woman, aged 70 years, developed anisocoria after applying homeopathic eye drops (Similasan Pink Eye Relief) to her left eye. Her pupil was dilated for two weeks and did not respond to light or near stimuli for one week. Both 0.1% and 1% pilocarpine failed to constrict her left pupil, and magnetic resonance imaging of her brain did not reveal any abnormality. The eye drops she had used contain belladonna extracts which have a natural atropine component. This case demonstrates the importance, when evaluating a patient presenting with anisocoria, of knowing the chemical ingredients of the homeopathic eye drops, which often are not listed. © 2017 Marshfield Clinic.

  3. Efficacy of an artificial tear emulsion in patients with dry eye associated with meibomian gland dysfunction.

    PubMed

    Sindt, Christine W; Foulks, Gary N

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the study reported here was to assess the efficacy of an artificial tear emulsion for the treatment of dry eye associated with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). At five clinics, patients completed a 1-week treatment with their habitual topical therapy and then a 4-week treatment with open-label study medication: Systane® Balance Lubricant Eye Drops (Alcon, Alcon Inc, Fort Worth, TX, USA). Subjective assessments included a preference survey, the Impact of Dry Eye in Everyday Life questionnaire, and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Objective assessments by unmasked investigators included visual acuity, meibomian gland expression and dropout, tear film breakup time, corneal staining, and dosing frequency. At baseline, the 49 patients had mean meibomian gland expression grades and gland dropout that indicated mild to moderate MGD. Patients administered their habitual therapy 2.5 ± 1.3 times per day. After 4 weeks of study medication, the Impact of Dry Eye in Everyday Life questionnaire results indicated statistically and clinically significant improvements. Fewer than half of the participants were employed, limiting the usefulness of the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Visual acuity remained statistically similar, while corneal staining and tear film breakup time improved significantly (P < 0.05) but modestly. The outcomes were achieved with 1.9 ± 1.1 doses per day of study medication, a significantly lower frequency than the habitual frequency (P < 0.001). The most common medication-related adverse event was blurred vision (3/49 patients, 6.1%). At study conclusion, 27/44 (61.4%) survey respondents preferred the study medication to their habitual therapy. The artificial tear emulsion was effective for treating the signs and symptoms of dry eye in MGD patients.

  4. Anti-inflammatory and Antihistaminic Study of a Unani Eye Drop Formulation.

    PubMed

    Abdul, Latif; Abdul, Razique; Sukul, R R; Nazish, Siddiqui

    2010-01-01

    The Unani eye drop is an ophthalmic formulation prepared for its beneficial effects in the inflammatory and allergic conditions of the eyes. In the present study, the Unani eye drop formulation was prepared and investigated for its anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic activity, using in vivo and in vitro experimental models respectively. The Unani eye drop formulation exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in turpentine liniment-induced ocular inflammation in rabbits. The preparation also showed antihistaminic activity in isolated guinea-pig ileum. The anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic activity of eye drop may be due to presence of active ingredients in the formulation. Although there are many drugs in Unani repository which are mentioned in classical books or used in Unani clinical practice effectively in treatment of eye diseases by various Unani physicians. Inspite of the availability of vast literature, there is a dearth of commercial Unani ocular preparations. So, keeping this in mind, the eye drop formulation was prepared and its anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic activity was carried out in animal models. Thus, in view of the importance of alternative anti-inflammatory and antiallergic drugs, it becomes imperative to bring these indigenous drugs to the front foot and evaluate their activities.

  5. Flow rate-pressure drop relation for deformable shallow microfluidic channels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Christov, Ivan C.; Cognet, Vincent; Shidhore, Tanmay C.; Stone, Howard A.

    2018-04-01

    Laminar flow in devices fabricated from soft materials causes deformation of the passage geometry, which affects the flow rate--pressure drop relation. For a given pressure drop, in channels with narrow rectangular cross-section, the flow rate varies as the cube of the channel height, so deformation can produce significant quantitative effects, including nonlinear dependence on the pressure drop [{Gervais, T., El-Ali, J., G\\"unther, A. \\& Jensen, K.\\ F.}\\ 2006 Flow-induced deformation of shallow microfluidic channels.\\ \\textit{Lab Chip} \\textbf{6}, 500--507]. Gervais et. al. proposed a successful model of the deformation-induced change in the flow rate by heuristically coupling a Hookean elastic response with the lubrication approximation for Stokes flow. However, their model contains a fitting parameter that must be found for each channel shape by performing an experiment. We present a perturbation approach for the flow rate--pressure drop relation in a shallow deformable microchannel using the theory of isotropic quasi-static plate bending and the Stokes equations under a lubrication approximation (specifically, the ratio of the channel's height to its width and of the channel's height to its length are both assumed small). Our result contains no free parameters and confirms Gervais et. al.'s observation that the flow rate is a quartic polynomial of the pressure drop. The derived flow rate--pressure drop relation compares favorably with experimental measurements.

  6. Prevalence of ocular symptoms and signs with preserved and preservative free glaucoma medication

    PubMed Central

    Pisella, P J; Pouliquen, P; Baudouin, C

    2002-01-01

    Aim: To determine the incidence of ocular toxicity of preservatives with glaucoma medications. Methods: A prospective epidemiological survey was carried out in 1999 by 249 ophthalmologists on 4107 patients. Ocular symptoms, conjunctiva, cornea, and eyelids were assessed. A χ2 test was used for differences between preserved eye drops (P) and preservative free eye drops (PF). Results: 84% patients used P, 13% received PF, and 3% a combination of P and PF eye drops. All symptoms were more prevalent with P than with PF drops (p<0.001): discomfort upon instillation (43% versus 17%), and symptoms between instillations such as burning-stinging (40% versus 22%), foreign body sensation (31% versus 14%), dry eye sensation (23% versus 14%), tearing (21% versus 14%), and eyelid itching (18% versus 10%). An increased incidence (>2 times) of ocular signs was seen with P eye drops. The prevalence of signs and symptoms was dose dependent, increasing with the number of P drops. A reduction in the symptoms and signs was observed when patients changed from P to PF eye drops (p<0.001). Conclusions: Symptoms and signs are less prevalent when PF drops are used. Moreover, most of the adverse reactions induced by P glaucoma medication are reversible after removing preservatives. PMID:11914211

  7. Efficacy of punctal occlusion in management of dry eyes after laser in situ keratomileusis for myopia.

    PubMed

    Alfawaz, Abdullah M; Algehedan, Saeed; Jastaneiah, Sabah S; Al-Mansouri, Samir; Mousa, Ahmed; Al-Assiri, Abdullah

    2014-03-01

    To evaluate the effect of punctal plug use in preventing dry eye after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). A randomized clinical trial at a tertiary eye care center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Participants underwent LASIK for myopia in both eyes and a lower punctal occlusion in one eye only while the other eye served as control. Both eyes received the same postoperative medications except for lubricant duration (subject eye: four times per day for one week; control eye: four times per day for 6 months). Participants were evaluated at 1 week, 2, and 6 months after surgery for signs and symptoms of dry eye. The main outcome measures were visual acuity; ocular surface parameters; and Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire. Seventy-eight eyes of 39 patients were included in this study. The Ocular Surface Disease Index scores of eyes with punctal plugs were better at all follow-up visits, and the differences between both eyes were statistically significant (1 week, p < 0.0001; 2 months, p < 0.0001; 6 months, p = 0.008). At the final follow-up visit, the percentage of normal eyes was higher in eyes with punctal plugs for all ocular surface parameters (Schirmer 1 test, 94.9%; tear breakup time, 77.8%; punctate epithelial keratitis score, 71.8%) compared to eyes without occlusion (Schirmer 1 test, 92.3%; tear breakup time, 58.3%; punctate epithelial keratitis score, 53.8%); however, such differences were not statistically significant. Punctal plug insertion after LASIK surgeries may minimize the need for frequent lubricant application and hence improve patient satisfaction.

  8. Pharmacological activities of an eye drop containing Matricaria chamomilla and Euphrasia officinalis extracts in UVB-induced oxidative stress and inflammation of human corneal cells.

    PubMed

    Bigagli, Elisabetta; Cinci, Lorenzo; D'Ambrosio, Mario; Luceri, Cristina

    2017-08-01

    Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure is a risk factor for corneal damage resulting in oxidative stress, inflammation and cell death. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential protective effects of a commercial eye drop (Dacriovis™) containing Matricaria chamomilla and Euphrasia officinalis extracts on human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC-12) against UVB radiation-induced oxidative stress and inflammation as well as the underlying mechanisms. The antioxidant potential of the eye drops was evaluated by measuring the ferric reducing antioxidant power and the total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. HCEC-12 cells were exposed to UVB radiation and treated with the eye drops at various concentrations. Cell viability, wound healing assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, protein and lipid oxidative damage and COX-2, IL-1β, iNOS, SOD-2, HO-1 and GSS gene expression, were assessed. Eye drops were able to protect corneal epithelial cells from UVB-induced cell death and ameliorated the wound healing; the eye drops exhibited a strong antioxidant activity, decreasing ROS levels and protein and lipid oxidative damage. Eye drops also exerted anti-inflammatory activities by decreasing COX-2, IL-1β, iNOS expression, counteracted UVB-induced GSS and SOD-2 expression and restored HO-1 expression to control levels. These findings suggest that an eye drop containing Matricaria chamomilla and Euphrasia officinalis extracts exerts positive effects against UVB induced oxidative stress and inflammation and may be useful in protecting corneal epithelial cells from UVB exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Preservation of Biological Activity of Plasma and Platelet-Derived Eye Drops After Their Different Time and Temperature Conditions of Storage.

    PubMed

    Anitua, Eduardo; de la Fuente, María; Riestra, Ana; Merayo-Lloves, Jesús; Muruzábal, Francisco; Orive, Gorka

    2015-09-01

    To analyze whether plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops preserve their biological characteristics and activity after storage for 3 and 6 months at -20°C, at 4°C, and at room temperature for 72 hours, compared with fresh samples (t0). Blood from 6 healthy donors was harvested and centrifuged to obtain PRGF free of leukocytes. Resulting PRGF eye drops were stored for 3 and 6 months at -20°C. At each time, 2 aliquots were maintained at room temperature or at 4°C for 72 hours. Platelet-derived growth factor-AB, transforming growth factor-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, angiopoietin-1, and thrombospondin-1 were quantified at each time and temperature of storage. Also, the effect of PRGF eye drops on proliferation of primary human keratocytes was evaluated. All the analyzed growth factor levels remained constant at each time and storage condition. No differences were observed in the proliferative activity of keratocytes after treatment with PRGF eye drops at any studied time or temperature. Finally, there was no microbial contamination in any of the PRGF eye drops. The preservation of the PRGF eye drops at -20°C for up to 3 and 6 months does not mean reduction of the main growth factors and proteins implicated in ocular surface wound healing. Eye drop characteristics and in vitro biological activity were not affected by their usage and conservation for 72 hours at 4°C or at room temperature.

  10. Effect of rasanjana madhu ashchyotana in netra abhishyanda (mucopurulent conjunctivitis).

    PubMed

    Bhardwaj, Atul; Tanwar, Manoj

    2011-07-01

    To evaluate the comparative efficacy of Ayurvedic formulation a Rasanjana Madhu (RM) eye drops and Honey Rose (HR) water eye drops in Netra Abhishyanda in mucopurulent conjunctivitis, the current study is planned. Total of 35 patients attending the outpatient department of Shalakya Tantra at R. G. G. Postgraduate Ayurvedic College, Paprola, Distt. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh with characteristic features of Netra Abhishyanda were selected for the present study. Twenty patients were given trial drug, i.e., RM eye drops, while 15 patients were given HR eye drops. Random sampling technique was adopted for the present study. The duration of the treatment was 7 days with 1 week follow-up. Patients receiving the trial group demonstrated reduction of redness, burning sensation, lacrimation, photophobia, foreign body sensation, discharge, and congestion, which were statistically significant with 93% patients cured or markedly improved category. Signs and symptoms stated above were also statistically reduced with HR eye drops, probably because of well-documented hygroscopic and bacteriocidal properties of honey. Based on the study, it can be concluded that, RM eye drops are very effective in the management of Netra Abhishyanda viz. Infective conjunctivitis.

  11. Effect of Rasanjana Madhu Ashchyotana in Netra Abhishyanda (Mucopurulent Conjunctivitis)

    PubMed Central

    Bhardwaj, Atul; Tanwar, Manoj

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate the comparative efficacy of Ayurvedic formulation a Rasanjana Madhu (RM) eye drops and Honey Rose (HR) water eye drops in Netra Abhishyanda in mucopurulent conjunctivitis, the current study is planned. Total of 35 patients attending the outpatient department of Shalakya Tantra at R. G. G. Postgraduate Ayurvedic College, Paprola, Distt. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh with characteristic features of Netra Abhishyanda were selected for the present study. Twenty patients were given trial drug, i.e., RM eye drops, while 15 patients were given HR eye drops. Random sampling technique was adopted for the present study. The duration of the treatment was 7 days with 1 week follow-up. Patients receiving the trial group demonstrated reduction of redness, burning sensation, lacrimation, photophobia, foreign body sensation, discharge, and congestion, which were statistically significant with 93% patients cured or markedly improved category. Signs and symptoms stated above were also statistically reduced with HR eye drops, probably because of well-documented hygroscopic and bacteriocidal properties of honey. Based on the study, it can be concluded that, RM eye drops are very effective in the management of Netra Abhishyanda viz. Infective conjunctivitis. PMID:22529652

  12. Probing the nanoscale with high-speed interferometry of an impacting drop

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thoroddsen, S. T.; Li, E. Q.; Vakarelski, I. U.; Langley, K.

    2017-02-01

    The simple phenomenon of a water drop falling onto a glass plate may seem like a trivial fluid mechanics problem. However, detailed imaging has shown that this process is highly complex and a small air-bubble is always entrapped under the drop when it makes contact with the solid. This bubble can interfere with the uniformity of spray coatings and degrade inkjet fabrication of displays etc. We will describe how we use high-speed interferometry at 5 million frames per second to understand the details of this process. As the impacting drop approaches the solid, the dynamics are characterized by a balance between the lubrication pressure in the thin air layer and the inertia of the bot-tom of the drop. This deforms the drop, forming a dimple at its bottom and making the drop touch the surface along a ring, thereby entrapping the air-layer, which is typically 1-3 μm thick. This air-layer can be highly compressed and the deceleration of the bottom of the drop can be as large as 300,000 g. We describe how the thickness evolution of the lubricating air-layer is extracted from following the interference fringes between frames. Two-color interferometry is also used to extract absolute layer thicknesses. Finally, we identify the effects of nanometric surface roughness on the first contact of the drop with the substrate. Here we need to resolve the 100 nm thickness changes occurring during 200 ns intervals, requiring these state of the art high-speed cameras. Surprisingly, we see a ring of micro-bubbles marking the first contact of the drop with the glass, only for microscope slides, which have a typical roughness of 20 nm, while such rings are absent for drop impacts onto molecularly smooth mica surfaces.

  13. Breakup of a thin drop under a stagnation point flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hooshanginejad, Alireza; Lee, Sungyon; Shelley, Michael

    2017-11-01

    Recent studies by Hooshanginejad and Lee (2017) have demonstrated complex depinning behaviors of a partially wetting droplet under wind. Motivated by this study, we examine the coupled evolution of a 2D thin drop and external wind, when it is initially held against a fast stagnation point flow. Our drop lubrication model employs the potential flow and Prandtl boundary layer theory for outer flow to compute the internal drop flow corresponding to drop deformations. Furthermore, both the analytical and numerical steady state solutions provide a partial prediction for the drop's final shape and help identify the range of droplet sizes that undergo a breakup for the given flow condition.

  14. Determination of phosphate concentration and pH in artificial tear drops.

    PubMed

    de Frutos-Lezaun, M; Martínez-Soroa, I; Ostra Beldarrain, M; Egia Zurutuza, A; Irastorza Larburu, M B; Fernandez Iriarte, A; Bachiller Cacho, M P

    2016-08-01

    To determine phosphate concentration and pH in artificial tear eye drops commercially available in Spain. A total of 71 examples of artificial tear preparations were identified in a search of Vademecum 2014 and the Spanish Medicines Agency website. In the 24 artificial tear products containing phosphates, quantification of these was performed by ultraviolet molecular absorption spectrophotometry, and the determination of pH was performed using scan image analysis algorithms of pH strips. Of the 71 artificial tears tested, 24 contained phosphate among their excipients in the data sheet, three of which had a concentration level below detection limit (<0.1mM). The mean phosphate concentration was 17.91±23.87mM. The artificial tear sample containing a higher concentration was Colircusi Humectante (87.1mM). Lubricants based on hypromellose showed the highest phosphate concentration (41.59±32.1mM), showing statistically significant differences compared to povidone (P=.0196) and hyaluronate (P=.0067). Statistically significant differences were found between products containing preservatives (32.39±20.91mM), and preservative free ones (8.49±11.98mM) (P=.0498). However, no difference was found between multidose (20.21±26.91mM) and unidose (9.31±14.39mM) samples, or between brand name (15.44±23.3mM) and generic eye drops (20.81mM). The mean pH was 6.93±0.26 (6.2-7.22). No statistical correlation was detected between phosphate concentration and pH (Spearman's Rho -0.1089 and P=.6125). A total of 24 (33.8%) of the 71 artificial tears contained phosphate. We believe identifying the phosphate concentration of artificial tears is useful information in order to avoid complications in high-risk patients. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  15. [Clinical study of the effectiveness of a dexpanthenol containing artificial tears solution (Siccaprotect) in treatment of dry eyes].

    PubMed

    Göbbels, M; Gross, D

    1996-01-01

    In this controlled, randomized, double-masked study the effect of dexpanthenol-containing artificial tears (Siccaprotect) on patients with dry eyes was examined. 50 patients applied either dexpanthenol-containing artificial tears (Siccaprotect) or the identical, but free of dexpanthenol, eye drops five times daily into the conjunctival sac. No other ophthalmics were administered. The corneal epithelial permeability was measured by fluorophotometry and Schirmer-Test, Rose Bengal staining, tear film break-up time and the patients' subjective complaints were determined before and after 6 weeks of treatment. The dexpanthenol-containing artificial tears (Siccaprotect) improved disturbances of the corneal epithelial permeability significantly in comparison to the dexpanthenol-free eyes drops. The other parameters didn't show relevant differences. These data suggest that, in dry eyes, treatment with dexpanthenol-containing eye drops leads to a favorable and comparing with dexpanthenol-free eye drops superior improvement in disturbances of corneal epithelium permeability.

  16. Lubricant retention in liquid-infused microgrooves exposed to turbulent flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Matthew; Chen, Ting-Hsuan; Arnold, Craig; Hultmark, Marcus

    2017-11-01

    Liquid infused surfaces are a promising method of passive drag reduction for turbulent flows. These surfaces rely on functionalized roughness elements to trap a liquid lubricant that is immiscible with external fluids. The presence of the lubricant creates a collection of fluid-fluid interfaces which can support a finite slip velocity at the effective surface. Generating a streamwise slip at the surface has been demonstrated as an effective mechanism for drag reduction; however, sustained drag reduction is predicated on the retention of the lubricating layer. Here, a turbulent channel-flow facility is used to characterize the robustness of liquid-infused surfaces and evaluate criteria for ensuring retention of the lubricant. Microscale grooved surfaces infused with alkane lubricants are mounted flush in the channel and exposed to turbulent flows. The retention of lubricants and pressure drop are monitored to characterize the effects of surface geometry and lubricant properties. To improve the retention of lubricant within grooved structures, a novel laser patterning technique is used to scribe chemical barriers onto grooved surfaces and evaluated. Supported under ONR Grants N00014-12-1-0875 and N00014-12-1-0962 (program manager Ki-Han Kim) and by the Department of Defense (DoD) through the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program.

  17. [The clinical efficacy and safety study of Esculin and Digitalis glycosides Eye Drops in treating ametropic asthenopia].

    PubMed

    Jiang, Zhen-ying; Qu, Xiao-mei; Li, Xiao-xin; Liu, Yu-ling; Shen, Nian-ci; Zhang, Lin; Ke, Bi-lian; Zhao, Pei-quan; Jiang, Jun; Yao, Ke; Zeng, Jin; Yang, Xiao; Chu, Ren-yuan

    2010-12-01

    To study the clinical efficacy and safety of the Esculin and Digitalis glycosides Eye Drops used in the patients of ametropic asthenopia. Multicenter clinical trial. Asthenopia patients were chosen from eleven hospitals cross China from July, 2008 to January, 2009. The experiment was conducted asthenopia patients who used the Esculin and Digitalis glycosides Eye Drops for 4 weeks continuously. Symptoms of asthenopia, UCVA (uncorrected vision acuity), refraction, amplitude of accommodation, accommodative lag, accommodative sensitivity and positive/negative relative accommodation were measured at different time points, such as treated before, 1 week and 4 week in treated after. After the 4-week's use of Esculin and Digitalis glycosides Eye Drops, each subjective symptom of the patients was decreased significantly (F=353.30, P<0.05). In addition, most of the objective exams of accommodation ability were significantly improved, such as UCVA (left eye: F=23.39, P<0.05; right eye: F=15.62, P<0.05), refraction (left eye: F=10.34, P<0.05; right eye: F=17.13, P<0.05), amplitude of accommodation (left eye: F=14.46, P<0.05; right eye: F=8.29, P<0.05; eyes: F=13.86, P<0.05), accommodative lag (F=14.89, P<0.05) and accommodative sensitivity (left eye: F=62.67, P<0.05; right eye: F=68.77, P<0.05; eyes: F=82.74, P<0.05). And no patient appeared any adverse reaction in whole experiment. Esculin and Digitalis glycosides Eye Drops is effective and safety for use in the patients of ametropia asthenopia.

  18. Combined application of autologous serum eye drops and silicone hydrogel lenses for the treatment of persistent epithelial defects.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jin A; Chung, So-Hyang

    2011-11-01

    We investigated the utility of a combination of autologous serum eye drops and a silicone-hydrogel (SH) lens in the treatment of persistent epithelial defects (PEDs). Eight patients who had distinct PED conditions were treated with 50% (v/v) autologous serum eye drops in combination with silicone hydrogel contact lenses and prospectively observed. The pathogenesis of PEDs included Sjogren-type dry eye syndrome, graft-versus-host disease, toxic keratitis, limbal cell deficiency, superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis, and neurotrophic keratitis. The patients had PEDs for 90±81.76 days (range: 30-240 days). Before the initiation of the combined treatment, three patients had already been unsuccessfully treated with SH lenses, and five patients had received serum eye drops alone. The PEDs of the eight eyes healed after a treatment period of 11.8±4.9 days. No visible deposits were noted on the surface of any contact lens. These findings demonstrate that the combination of an SH lens and serum eye drops may be effective in the treatment of intractable PEDs.

  19. Readability of prescription labels and medication recall in a population of tertiary referral glaucoma patients.

    PubMed

    O'Hare, Fleur; Jeganathan, V Swetha E; Rokahr, Catherine G; Rogers, Sophie L; Crowston, Jonathan G

    2009-12-01

    To evaluate readability of eye drop labels and accurate recall of prescription instructions in a glaucoma population. A hospital-based, cross-sectional study. A trained, interviewer examined patient ability to read standard and larger font medication labels. A questionnaire was administered to ascertain accurate recall of prescribed eye drops. Clinical information was obtained through independent chart review. Glaucoma severity was classified according to a glaucoma staging system. The setting for the study was the glaucoma outpatient clinic, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (Melbourne, Australia), a major tertiary referral centre. A total of 200 glaucoma patients (96.2% response), aged 45-90 years, on eye drops took part in the study. Non-English-speaking patients were excluded. The main outcome measure was the ability to read prescribed medication labels and accurately recall treatment regime was compared with glaucoma severity and the number of eye drops. Of the glaucoma patients, 12% were unable to read standard pharmacy labels. Only 5.5% were unable to read the larger font labels. Of the patients, 32% were not able to accurately recall the type of drops or prescribed frequency of instillation. An inability to read standard labels was associated with a threefold reduction in the likelihood of accurate medication recall (95% confidence intervals, 1.40-7.66, P < 0.05). Patients with three or more types of eye drops were five times less likely to recall their medications (95% confidence interval, 0.07-0.57, P < 0.05). Inability to read or recall prescribed eye drops was associated with glaucoma severity and the number of prescribed eye drops. These factors may impact significantly on patients' adherence to glaucoma medications.

  20. [Trial of eye drops recognizer for visually disabled persons].

    PubMed

    Okamoto, Norio; Suzuki, Katsuhiko; Mimura, Osamu

    2009-01-01

    The development of a device to enable the visually disabled to differentiate eye drops and their dose. The new instrument is composed of a voice generator and a two-dimensional bar-code reader (LS9208). We designed voice outputs for the visually disabled to state when (number of times) and where (right, left, or both) to administer eye drops. We then determined the minimum bar-code size that can be recognized. After attaching bar-codes of the appropriate size to the lateral or bottom surface of the eye drops container, the readability of the bar-codes was compared. The minimum discrimination bar-code size was 6 mm high x 8.5 mm long. Bar-codes on the bottom surface could be more easily recognized than bar-codes on the side. Our newly-developed device using bar-codes enables visually disabled persons to differentiate eye drops and their doses.

  1. PRESERVATIVES FROM THE EYE DROPS AND THE OCULAR SURFACE

    PubMed Central

    Coroi, Mihaela Cristina; Bungau, Simona; Tit, Mirela

    2015-01-01

    The use of preservatives in eye drops (eyewashes) has known glory at the beginning, but the side effects that they have on the ocular surface have led to a decrease of their popularity. Lachrymal film dysfunction, ocular hyperemia, dotted keratitis or toxic keratopathy were reported and analyzed in terms of pathophysiological mechanism of the role played by preservatives in ophthalmic drops (eyewashes). This article reviews the most common preservatives and the existing alternatives for the maintenance of the eye sterile drops. PMID:27373107

  2. Characterization of new eye drops with choline salicylate and assessment of their irritancy by in vitro short time exposure tests.

    PubMed

    Wroblewska, Katarzyna; Kucinska, Małgorzata; Murias, Marek; Lulek, Janina

    2015-09-01

    The aim of our study was to examine the irritation potential of new eye drops containing 2% choline salicylate (CS) as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and various polymers increasing eye drop viscosity (hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone). The standard method for assessing the potential of irritating substances has been the Draize rabbit eye test. However the European Centre for Validation of Alternative Methods and the Coordinating Committee for Validation of Alternative Methods recommend, short time exposure (STE) in vitro tests as an alternative method for assessing eye irritation. The eye irritation potential was determined using cytotoxicity test methods for rabbit corneal cell line (SIRC) after 5 min exposure. The viability of cells was determined using two cytotoxicity assays: MTT and Neutral Red Uptake. According to the irritation rankings for the short time exposure test, all tested eye drops are classified as non-irritating (cell viability >70%).

  3. Characterization of new eye drops with choline salicylate and assessment of their irritancy by in vitro short time exposure tests

    PubMed Central

    Wroblewska, Katarzyna; Kucinska, Małgorzata; Murias, Marek; Lulek, Janina

    2014-01-01

    The aim of our study was to examine the irritation potential of new eye drops containing 2% choline salicylate (CS) as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and various polymers increasing eye drop viscosity (hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone). The standard method for assessing the potential of irritating substances has been the Draize rabbit eye test. However the European Centre for Validation of Alternative Methods and the Coordinating Committee for Validation of Alternative Methods recommend, short time exposure (STE) in vitro tests as an alternative method for assessing eye irritation. The eye irritation potential was determined using cytotoxicity test methods for rabbit corneal cell line (SIRC) after 5 min exposure. The viability of cells was determined using two cytotoxicity assays: MTT and Neutral Red Uptake. According to the irritation rankings for the short time exposure test, all tested eye drops are classified as non-irritating (cell viability >70%). PMID:27134543

  4. Levitation of a drop over a film flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sreenivas, K. R.; de, P. K.; Arakeri, Jaywant H.

    1999-02-01

    A vertical jet of water impinging on a horizontal surface produces a radial film flow followed by a circular hydraulic jump. We report a phenomenon where fairly large (1 ml) drops of liquid levitate just upstream of the jump on a thin air layer between the drop and the film flow. We explain the phenomenon using lubrication theory. Bearing action both in the air film and the water film seems to be necessary to support large drops. Horizontal support is given to the drop by the hydraulic jump. A variety of drop shapes is observed depending on the volume of the drop and liquid properties. We show that interaction of the forces due to gravity, surface tension, viscosity and inertia produces these various shapes.

  5. Effect of Autologous Serum Eye Drops in Patients with Sjögren Syndrome-related Dry Eye: Clinical and In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Evaluation of the Ocular Surface.

    PubMed

    Semeraro, Francesco; Forbice, Eliana; Nascimbeni, Giuseppe; Taglietti, Marco; Romano, Vito; Guerra, Germano; Costagliola, Ciro

    To evaluate in vivo changes after therapy using autologous serum (AS) eye drops in Sjögren's syndrome (SS)-related dry eyes by confocal microscopy. In this study, 24 patients with SS-related dry eyes [12 in AS eye drop therapy and 12 in artificial tear (AT) therapy] and 24 healthy volunteers were recruited. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), central corneal thickness, tear film, break-up time, corneal and conjunctival staining, Schirmer's test and corneal confocal microscopy were investigated. Tear production, tear stability, corneal staining, inflammation, and central corneal thickness, Langherans cells, activated keratocytes, intermediate epithelial cell density, nerve tortuosity, number of sub-basal nerve branches, and number of bead-like formations differed between patients and controls (p<0.0001). The AT and AS groups differed in the OSDI, number of branches, and number of beadings (p<0.0001). AS eye drops improve symptoms and confocal microscopy findings in SS-related dry eyes. Copyright © 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of two eye drop products on computer users with subjective ocular discomfort.

    PubMed

    Skilling, Francis C; Weaver, Tony A; Kato, Kenneth P; Ford, Jerry G; Dussia, Elyse M

    2005-01-01

    An increasing number of people seek medical attention for symptoms of visual discomfort due to computer vision syndrome (CVS). We compared the efficacy and adverse event rates of a new eye lubricant, OptiZen (InnoZen, Inc., polysorbate 80 0.5%) and Visine Original (Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05%). In this double-blind parallel arm trial, 50 healthy men and women, ages 18 to 65 years, with symptoms of CVS who use a video display terminal for a minimum of 4 hours per day were randomized to OptiZen (n = 25) or Visine Original (n= 25), 1 to 2 drops b.i.d. for 5 days. The primary end-points were ocular discomfort and adverse events. OptiZen and Visine Original had similar efficacy in alleviating symptoms of ocular discomfort (odds ratio of 1.23 [95% confidence interval, 0.63 to 2.42], P= 0.55). OptiZen and Visine Original were very similar with respect to odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each of the measurement times (P= 0.72). Visine Original users reported a significantly higher incidence of temporary ocular stinging/burning immediately after drug instillation (28%, 7/25) than did OptiZen users (4%, 1/24) (P= 0.05). Patients using OptiZen were 89% less likely to have stinging/burning effects than those patients using Visine Original (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.95). OptiZen and Visine Original are effective at alleviating ocular discomfort associated with prolonged computer use. Adverse event findings suggest that OptiZen causes less ocular discomfort on instillation, potentially attributable to its milder ingredient profile.

  7. Travoprost Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... by soft contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, remove them before instilling travoprost and put them back in 15 minutes later.if you have an eye injury, infection, or surgery while using travoprost eye drops, ask your doctor if you should continue using the same eye drops container.

  8. Efficacy of a crosslinked hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel as a tear film supplement: a masked controlled study.

    PubMed

    Williams, David L; Mann, Brenda K

    2014-01-01

    Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or dry eye, is a significant medical problem in both humans and dogs. Treating KCS often requires the daily application of more than one type of eye drop in order to both stimulate tear prodcution and provide a tear supplement to increase hydration and lubrication. A previous study demonstrated the potential for a crosslinked hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel (xCMHA-S) to reduce the clinical signs associated with KCS in dogs while using a reduced dosing regimen of only twice-daily administration. The present study extended those results by comparing the use of the xCMHA-S to a standard HA-containing tear supplement in a masked, randomized clinical study in dogs with a clinical diagnosis of KCS. The xCMHA-S was found to significantly improve ocular surface health (conjunctival hyperaemia, ocular irritation, and ocular discharge) to a greater degree than the alternative tear supplement (P = 0.0003). Further, owners reported the xCMHA-S treatment as being more highly effective than the alternative tear supplement (P = 0.0024). These results further demonstrate the efficacy of the xCMHA-S in reducing the clinical signs associated with KCS, thereby improving patient health and owner happiness.

  9. AN EVALUATION OF HOW GLAUCOMA PATIENTS USE TOPICAL MEDICATIONS: A PILOT STUDY

    PubMed Central

    Tsai, Tony; Robin, Alan L.; Smith, Judson P.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose Multiple factors can influence patients’ adherence to topical ophthalmic intraocular pressure–lowering medications. An important factor that is often overlooked is the method of eye drop administration, including the handling, storing, and actual administering of eye drops. These aspects of patients’ eye drop administration, which may be strongly related to the success of prescribed therapies, are evaluated. Methods A 2-page questionnaire was distributed to 253 sequential glaucoma patients at the time of their regular clinical visit with one of two geographically distinct glaucoma specialists. In addition to providing demographic data, the patients were asked to complete a 2-page questionnaire about their current use of eye drops. Results The study participants had a mean age of 71.5 years (SD, 15.1 years) and were predominantly female (59.8%) and white (72.6%). Approximately 17% of them relied on others for the administration of drops and most commonly cited inadequate vision and trouble with manual dexterity leading to this dependency. Of those who self-administered drops, only 16.3% used a mirror. The most common location for administration was the bedroom (46.8%), followed by the bathroom (23.4%) and kitchen (16.1%). Almost 16% reported “rarely” or “never” washing their hands. Conclusions Although most individuals may have little difficulty with the use, storage, and handling of eye drops, this study demonstrates that broad variation in reported practices exists. This finding suggests a need for better instruction in eye drop administration and illuminates some of the methodological problems that could be overcome to reduce patients’ frustration, improve compliance, and increase efficacy. PMID:18427591

  10. Plasma rich in growth factors eye drops to treat secondary ocular surface disorders in patients with glaucoma

    PubMed Central

    Sánchez-Avila, Ronald M; Merayo-Lloves, Jesus; Fernández, Maria Laura; Rodríguez-Gutiérrez, Luis Alberto; Rodríguez-Calvo, Pedro Pablo; Fernández-Vega Cueto, Andres; Muruzabal, Francisco; Orive, Gorka; Anitua, Eduardo

    2018-01-01

    Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and safety of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops in patients with glaucoma with secondary ocular surface disorders (OSDs) due to surgeries and topical hypotensive drugs use. Materials and methods A retrospective case-series study design was used including six patients (eight eyes) diagnosed with glaucoma who received surgical (nonpenetrating deep sclerectomy and/or trabeculectomy) and medical treatments (hypotensive eye drops) to control intraocular pressure (IOP) and who developed secondary OSDs, unresponsive to conventional treatments. Patients were treated with PRGF eye drops (four times a day). Outcome measures were ocular surface disease index (OSDI), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution), visual analog scale (VAS), frequency and severity of symptoms, and IOP. The safety of the treatment was also evaluated. Results Six patients (seven eyes with open-angle glaucoma and one eye with uveitic glaucoma) treated with PRGF eye drops were evaluated. Mean age was 71 years (SD=7.2, range 58–79 years). Five were female and one was male. The mean treatment time was 21.8 weeks (SD=9.0, range 12–36 weeks). The mean time to reach closure of the corneal ulcer was 14.5 (SD=5.5) weeks. A statistical significant reduction in OSDI scale (50.6%), VAS frequency (53.1%), VAS severity (42.0%), and a 41.8% improvement in BCVA were observed (p<0.05). IOP also decreased by 16.6% (p=0.010). Only one of the six patients reported itching in both eyes as an adverse event (AE); however, the patient continued with the PRGF eye drops until the end of therapy; the remaining patients did not report any AEs during the follow-up period. Conclusions In patients with glaucoma and secondary OSDs refractive to conventional treatments, the treatment with PRGF eye drops could be considered a possible therapeutic option, because it demonstrates an improvement in the signs and symptoms of the ocular surface, as well as a better control of the IOP. This is an initial research work that can open doors for future research to confirm these findings. PMID:29760570

  11. Plasma rich in growth factors eye drops to treat secondary ocular surface disorders in patients with glaucoma.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Avila, Ronald M; Merayo-Lloves, Jesus; Fernández, Maria Laura; Rodríguez-Gutiérrez, Luis Alberto; Rodríguez-Calvo, Pedro Pablo; Fernández-Vega Cueto, Andres; Muruzabal, Francisco; Orive, Gorka; Anitua, Eduardo

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate the efficacy and safety of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops in patients with glaucoma with secondary ocular surface disorders (OSDs) due to surgeries and topical hypotensive drugs use. A retrospective case-series study design was used including six patients (eight eyes) diagnosed with glaucoma who received surgical (nonpenetrating deep sclerectomy and/or trabeculectomy) and medical treatments (hypotensive eye drops) to control intraocular pressure (IOP) and who developed secondary OSDs, unresponsive to conventional treatments. Patients were treated with PRGF eye drops (four times a day). Outcome measures were ocular surface disease index (OSDI), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution), visual analog scale (VAS), frequency and severity of symptoms, and IOP. The safety of the treatment was also evaluated. Six patients (seven eyes with open-angle glaucoma and one eye with uveitic glaucoma) treated with PRGF eye drops were evaluated. Mean age was 71 years (SD=7.2, range 58-79 years). Five were female and one was male. The mean treatment time was 21.8 weeks (SD=9.0, range 12-36 weeks). The mean time to reach closure of the corneal ulcer was 14.5 (SD=5.5) weeks. A statistical significant reduction in OSDI scale (50.6%), VAS frequency (53.1%), VAS severity (42.0%), and a 41.8% improvement in BCVA were observed ( p <0.05). IOP also decreased by 16.6% ( p =0.010). Only one of the six patients reported itching in both eyes as an adverse event (AE); however, the patient continued with the PRGF eye drops until the end of therapy; the remaining patients did not report any AEs during the follow-up period. In patients with glaucoma and secondary OSDs refractive to conventional treatments, the treatment with PRGF eye drops could be considered a possible therapeutic option, because it demonstrates an improvement in the signs and symptoms of the ocular surface, as well as a better control of the IOP. This is an initial research work that can open doors for future research to confirm these findings.

  12. A clinical study on "Computer vision syndrome" and its management with Triphala eye drops and Saptamrita Lauha.

    PubMed

    Gangamma, M P; Poonam; Rajagopala, Manjusha

    2010-04-01

    American Optometric Association (AOA) defines computer vision syndrome (CVS) as "Complex of eye and vision problems related to near work, which are experienced during or related to computer use". Most studies indicate that Video Display Terminal (VDT) operators report more eye related problems than non-VDT office workers. The causes for the inefficiencies and the visual symptoms are a combination of individual visual problems and poor office ergonomics. In this clinical study on "CVS", 151 patients were registered, out of whom 141 completed the treatment. In Group A, 45 patients had been prescribed Triphala eye drops; in Group B, 53 patients had been prescribed the Triphala eye drops and SaptamritaLauha tablets internally, and in Group C, 43 patients had been prescribed the placebo eye drops and placebo tablets. In total, marked improvement was observed in 48.89, 54.71 and 06.98% patients in groups A, B and C, respectively.

  13. Development of improved high temperature seals and lubricants for downhole motors in geothermal applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    De La Fosse, P.H.; Black, A.D.; DiBona, B.G.

    1983-01-01

    A major limitation of downhole mud motors for geothermal drilling, as well as straight-hole oil and gas drilling, is the bearing section. Reduced bearing life results from the inability to seal a lubricant in the bearing pack. A reliable rotary seal will extend the bearing life and will allow high pressure drops across the bit for improved bottomhole cleaning and increased drilling rate. This paper summarizes the results of a six-year program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy/Division of Geothermal Energy to develop a sealed bearing pack for use with downhole motors in geothermal applications. Descriptions of the Sealmore » Test Machine, Lubricant Test Machine and Bearing Pack Test Facility are presented. Summaries of all seal tests, lubricant tests and bearing pack tests are provided; and a comprehensive program bibliography is presented.« less

  14. Treatment of Sjögren's syndrome dry eye using 0.03% tacrolimus eye drop: Prospective double-blind randomized study.

    PubMed

    Moscovici, Bernardo Kaplan; Holzchuh, Ricardo; Sakassegawa-Naves, Fernando Eiji; Hoshino-Ruiz, Diego Ricardo; Albers, Marcos Bottene Villa; Santo, Ruth Miyuki; Hida, Richard Yudi

    2015-10-01

    To describe the clinical efficacy of the treatment of Sjögren's syndrome dry eye using 0.03% tacrolimus eye drop. Prospective double-blind randomized study. Institutional outpatient clinic. Forty-eight eyes of twenty-four patients with dry eye related to Sjögren syndrome were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomized in 2 groups: tacrolimus (n=14) and vehicle (n=10) group. The tacrolimus group received a vial containing tacrolimus 0.03% (almond oil as vehicle) and the other group received the almond oil vehicle. All patients were instructed to use the eye drops every 12h in the lower conjunctival sac. Schirmer I test, break-up-time (BUT), corneal fluorescein and Rose Bengal staining scores were evaluated in all patients one day before the treatment (baseline), 7, 14, 28 and 90 days after treatment with the eye drops. The average fluorescein and Rose Bengal scores improved statistically after 7 days of treatment and even more after 90 days. The average Schirmer I and BUT values were unchanged after 7, 14 and 21 days but did show an improvement relative to baseline after 28 days of treatment. Schirmer I, BUT, fluorescein and Rose Bengal did not show any statistical significance in the vehicle group. Topical 0.03% tacrolimus eye drop improved tear stability and ocular surface status in cases of inflammatory or SS-related dry eye. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01850979. Copyright © 2015 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Treatment with galectin-1 eye drops regulates mast cell degranulation and attenuates the severity of conjunctivitis.

    PubMed

    Mello-Bosnic, Claudia; Gimenes, Alexandre Dantas; Oliani, Sonia Maria; Gil, Cristiane Damas

    2018-05-31

    Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a β-galactoside-binding protein with diverse biological activities in the pathogenesis of inflammation, however the mechanisms by which Gal-1 modulates cellular responses in allergic inflammatory processes have not been fully determined. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Gal-1 eye drops in an experimental model of conjunctivitis. Wistar rats received a topical application of compound (C)48/80 (100 mg/ml) into right eyes and a drop of vehicle into the contralateral eye. Another group of rats received Gal-1 (0.3 or 3 μg/eye) or sodium cromoglycate (SCG; 40 mg/ml) in both eyes and, after 15 min, right eye was challenged with C48/80. Conjunctivitis-induced by C48/80 was characterized by severe eyelid oedema and tearing, but clinical signs were ameliorated by eye drop doses of both Gal-1 (0.3/3 μg) and SCG. As expected, an increased proportion of degranulated mast cells (62%, P < 0.01) and lower histamine levels were observed after 6 h of C48/80 challenge, compared to control (32%). This effect was abrogated by Gal-1 and SCG, which reduced mast cell degranulation (31-36%), eosinophil migration and eosinophil peroxidase levels in the eyes. Gal-1 (3 μg) and SCG treatments also decreased IL-4 levels, as well as activation of mitogen activated protein kinases compared to untreated C48/80 eyes. Our findings suggest that Gal-1 eye drops represent a new therapeutic strategy for ocular allergic inflammation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Comparative randomised controlled clinical trial of a herbal eye drop with artificial tear and placebo in computer vision syndrome.

    PubMed

    Biswas, N R; Nainiwal, S K; Das, G K; Langan, U; Dadeya, S C; Mongre, P K; Ravi, A K; Baidya, P

    2003-03-01

    A comparative randomised double masked multicentric clinical trial has been conducted to find out the efficacy and safety of a herbal eye drop preparation, itone eye drops with artificial tear and placebo in 120 patients with computer vision syndrome. Patients using computer for at least 2 hours continuosly per day having symptoms of irritation, foreign body sensation, watering, redness, headache, eyeache and signs of conjunctival congestion, mucous/debris, corneal filaments, corneal staining or lacrimal lake were included in this study. Every patient was instructed to put two drops of either herbal drugs or placebo or artificial tear in the eyes regularly four times for 6 weeks. Objective and subjective findings were recorded at bi-weekly intervals up to six weeks. Side-effects, if any, were also noted. In computer vision syndrome the herbal eye drop preparation was found significantly better than artificial tear (p < 0.01). No side-effects were noted by any of the drugs. Both subjective and objective improvements were observed in itone treated cases. So, itone can be considered as a useful drug in computer vision syndrome.

  17. Effect of mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose on dry eye in postmenopausal women

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Nan; Ye, Lin-Hong; Ye, Lei; Yu, Jing; Yang, Qi-Chen; Yuan, Qing; Zhu, Pei-Wen; Shao, Yi

    2017-01-01

    AIM To investigate the protective effect of mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops on dry eye in postmenopausal women. METHODS Sixty postmenopause female patients diagnosed of dry eye were assigned randomly to mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops treatment group (n=30) and control group treated with normal saline eye drops (n=30). The subjective symptoms of ocular surface, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear film function tests, tear protein and corneal morphology by confocal scanning microscopy were analyzed before treatment and at 1, 2, 4 and 8wk after treatment respectively. To ensure the safety of the trial, all patients were examined with systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, urine creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen at 8wk after treatment. RESULTS There were no obvious differences between two groups before the treatment (P>0.05). In two months after the treatment, the symptoms of ocular surface, OSDI, tear protein, and tear film function were only slightly changed in normal saline eye drops group. However, all indices were improved after the treatment of mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops group (P<0.05). In addition, the average amount of corneal epithelium basal cells and inflammatory cells of mistletoe treated group were 3174±379 and 38±25 cells/mm2, significantly decreased as compared to the control group with 4309±612 and 158± 61 cells/mm2, respectively. In the control group, although nerves still maintained straight under corneal epithelium, the number of nerves were significantly decreased, as compared with normal female. In the mistletoe treated group, the number of nerves was only slightly reduced, compared with normal female. CONCLUSION Mistletoe combined with carboxymethyl cellulose eye drops can alleviate the symptoms and signs of dry eye symptoms. PMID:29181309

  18. A drop penetration method to measure powder blend wettability.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yifan; Liu, Zhanjie; Muzzio, Fernando; Drazer, German; Callegari, Gerardo

    2018-03-01

    Water wettability of pharmaceutical blends affects important quality attributes of final products. We investigate the wetting properties of a pharmaceutical blend lubricated with Magnesium Stearate (MgSt) as a function of the mechanical shear strain applied to the blend. We measure the penetration dynamics of sessile drops deposited on slightly compressed powder beds. We consider a blend composed of 9% Acetaminophen 90% Lactose and 1% MgSt by weight. Comparing the penetration time of water and a reference liquid Polydimethylsiloxane (silicon oil) we obtain an effective cosine of the contact angle with water, based on a recently developed drop penetration method. We repeat the experiments for blends exposed to increasing levels of shear strain and demonstrate a significant decrease in water wettability (decrease in the cosine of the contact angle). The results are consistent with the development of a hydrophobic film coating the powder particles as a result of the increased shear strain. Finally, we show that, as expected dissolution times increase with the level of shear strain. Therefore, the proposed drop penetration method could be used to directly assess the state of lubrication of a pharmaceutical blend and act as a quality control on powder blend attributes before the blend is tableted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The effect of actinoquinol with hyaluronic acid in eye drops on the optical properties and oxidative damage of the rabbit cornea irradiated with UVB rays.

    PubMed

    Čejka, Čestmír; Luyckx, Jacques; Ardan, Taras; Pláteník, Jan; Širc, Jakub; Michálek, Jiří; Čejková, Jitka

    2010-01-01

    Irradiation of the cornea with UVB rays leads to its oxidative damage, swelling and increased light absorption. We investigated changes in the corneal optics (evaluated by changes of corneal hydration and light absorption) and microscopical disturbances of corneas irradiated with UVB rays as influenced by eye drops containing actinoquinol with hyaluronic acid. Rabbit corneas were irradiated with a daily dose of 0.5 or 1.01 J cm(-2) of UVB rays (312 nm) for 4 days. During irradiation, the eye drops were applied on the right eye and buffered saline (or hyaluronic acid) on the left eye. On day 5 the rabbits were sacrificed and the corneas examined spectrophotometrically for light absorption. The corneal thickness (hydration) was measured using a pachymeter. Corneas of some other rabbits were examined immunohistochemically. After buffered saline treatment UVB rays evoked changes in the corneal optics and induced oxidative damage of the corneas. After actinoquinol-hyaluronic acid application, these changes were diminished. Hyaluronic acid alone was less effective. In conclusion, actinoquinol-hyaluronic acid eye drops decreased changes in corneal optics and suppressed oxidative damage in the UVB-irradiated cornea. However, the effective corneal protection by these eye drops was limited to the lower UVB dose. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation. The American Society of Photobiology.

  20. Contact angle hysteresis and oil film lubrication in electrowetting with two immiscible liquids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, J.; Mendel, N.; Dey, R.; Baratian, D.; Mugele, F.

    2018-05-01

    Electrowetting (EW) of water drops in ambient oil has found a wide range of applications including lab-on-a-chip devices, display screens, and variable focus lenses. The efficacy of all these applications is dependent on the contact angle hysteresis (CAH), which is generally reduced in the presence of ambient oil due to thin lubrication layers. While it is well-known that AC voltage reduces the effective contact angle hysteresis (CAH) for EW in ambient air, we demonstrate here that CAH for EW in ambient oil increases with increasing AC and DC voltage. Taking into account the disjoining pressure of the fluoropolymer-oil-water system, short range chemical interactions, viscous oil entrainment, and electrostatic stresses, we find that this observation can be explained by progressive thinning of the oil layer underneath the drop with increasing voltage. This exposes the droplet to the roughness of the underlying solid and thereby increases hysteresis.

  1. 21 CFR 524.960 - Flumethasone, neomycin sulfate, and polymyxin B sulfate ophthalmic solutions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    .... Dogs: 1 to 2 drops per eye, every 6 hours. (ii) Preparation without hydroxyproply methylcellulose. Dogs and cats: 2 to 3 drops per eye, every 4 hours. (2) Indications for use. Treatment of the inflammation, edema, and secondary bacterial infections associated with topical ophthalmological conditions of the eye...

  2. 21 CFR 524.960 - Flumethasone, neomycin sulfate, and polymyxin B sulfate ophthalmic solutions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    .... Dogs: 1 to 2 drops per eye, every 6 hours. (ii) Preparation without hydroxyproply methylcellulose. Dogs and cats: 2 to 3 drops per eye, every 4 hours. (2) Indications for use. Treatment of the inflammation, edema, and secondary bacterial infections associated with topical ophthalmological conditions of the eye...

  3. Changing trends in the treatment of dry-eye disease.

    PubMed

    Dogru, Murat; Nakamura, Masatsugu; Shimazaki, Jun; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2013-12-01

    Dry eye is a visually disabling disease encountered in many countries with a wide variation of treatment practices all over the world. On that front, the 2007 Report of the International Dry Eye WorkShop (DEWS) reviewed the current knowledge on all aspects of dry-eye disease (DED), in an evidence-based manner, and outlined the trends and recommendations in the treatment of DED on the basis of disease severity. This review mainly focuses on treatments for DED based on severity as recommended in the DEWS report, particularly artificial eye drops, hyaluronate sodium eye drops, autologous serum, anti-inflammatory eye drops including cyclosporine and steroids, and mucin secretagogues. New dry-eye treatment modalities in current trials outlined on the clinicaltrial.gov site are also outlined. Further investigations into the mechanism of action of the new mucin and tear secretagogues which have been suggested to have anti-inflammatory properties will enrich our understanding in relation to relevant ocular surface responses after treatment with these new agents.

  4. Effect of Topical Calcium Channel Blockers on Intraocular Pressure in Steroid-induced Glaucoma.

    PubMed

    Ganekal, Sunil; Dorairaj, Syril; Jhanji, Vishal; Kudlu, Krishnaprasad

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of 0.125% verapamil and 0.5% diltiazem eye drops on intraocular pressure (IOP) in steroid-induced glaucoma in rabbit eyes. A total of 18 rabbits with steroid-induced glaucoma were divided into three groups (A, B and C; n = 6 each). Right eyes in groups A, B and C received 0.5% diltiazem, 0.125% verapamil and 0.5% timolol eye drops twice daily for 12 days, respectively; whereas, left eyes received distilled water. IOP was measured with Tono-pen XL at baseline, day 4, day 8, and day 12 of treatment. Both 0.5% diltiazem and 0.125% verapamil eye drops significantly reduced IOP compared to control eyes (p < 0.05). Reduction of IOP by 0.5% diltiazem, 0.125% verapamil eye drops were comparable to 0.5% timolol. No surface toxicity or systemic side effects were noted during the study period. Calcium channel blockers, verapamil, and diltia-zem significantly reduced IOP in rabbiteyes. This group of drugs may have a potential role in treatment of glaucoma How to cite this article: Ganekal S, Dorairaj S, Jhanji V, Kudlu K. Effect of Topical Calcium Channel Blockers on Intraocular Pressure in Steroid-induced Glaucoma. J Current Glau Prac 2014;8(1):15-19.

  5. Preparation and evaluation of HPMC-based pirfenidone solution in vivo.

    PubMed

    Yang, Mei; Yang, Yang-Fan; Lei, Ming; Ye, Cheng-Tian; Zhao, Chun-Shun; Xu, Jian-Gang; Wu, Kai-Li; Yu, Min-Bin

    2017-01-01

    Pirfenidone (PFD) has exhibited therapeutic potential in the treatment of cell proliferative disorders. The previously developed 0.5% water-based PFD eye drops by our team exhibited antiscarring effectiveness and ocular safety but with a limit of short half-life and poor bioavailability. To increase bioavailability of the water-based PFD eye drops, we prepared a viscous solution by adding hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC, F4M), which acted as a viscosity-enhancer. Subsequently, we compared the HPMC-based PFD solution with the water-based PFD eye drops. PFD solution with 1% HPMC (w/v) was prepared, and the viscosities at different shear rates were measured to investigate its rheology. PFD concentrations in the tear, aqueous humor, conjunctiva, cornea, and sclerae of New Zealand rabbits were detected at different time points with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) following single instillation of the 0.5% PFD (w/v) water-based eye drops or HPMC-based solution. Compared with the 0.5% water-based PFD eye drops, the HPMC-based solution increased the PFD levels in tears and prolonged the residence time from 10 to more than 20 min (p < .01). Consequently, the concentrations of PFD in aqueous humor, conjunctiva, cornea, and sclera were elevated to varying degrees until 90 min after topical administration. The developed formulation possesses a same readily administration and simple preparation as the PFD eye drops; however, the HPMC-based solution exhibited the higher bioavailability.

  6. Promoting effect of borneol on the permeability of puerarin eye drops and timolol maleate eye drops through the cornea in vitro.

    PubMed

    Wu, Chun-jie; Huang, Qin-wan; Qi, Hong-yi; Guo, Ping; Hou, Shi-xiang

    2006-09-01

    Studies on the influence of borneol on the penetration of puerarin eye drops and timolol maleate eye drops through the cornea, and evaluation of the ocular irritability were conducted to provide a theoretical basis for the application of borneol in enhancing corneal permeability. The cornea penetrative experiment in vitro was conducted to observe the quantitative change of puerarin and timolol maleate penetrated through the cornea after administering different dosages of borneol. The corneal hydration level and blinking frequency were recorded as irritability indexes in vitro and in vivo. The steady-flow J of high, middle and low dosage groups of puerarin eye drops with borneol were increased by 49%, 32%, 5% respectively, and permeability parameter Kp increased by 49%, 32%, 5% respectively, as compared to that of the control group. The steady-flow J of high dosage group of timolol maleate eye drops with borneol was increased by 5%; middle and low dosage groups with borneol were decreased by 6%, 3% respectively. The permeability parameter Kp of high dosage group increased by 5%, while middle and low dosage groups with borneol were decreased by 6%, 3% respectively, as compared to that of the control group. Evaluation showed no ocular irritability caused by borneol. The results of this study suggest that the promoting effect of borneol on the permeability of drugs through the cornea in vitro is selective, which indicates that borneol has the potential to be used as an ophthalmic penetration enhancer.

  7. "Insensitive" to touch: fabric-supported lubricant-swollen polymeric films for omniphobic personal protective gear.

    PubMed

    Damle, Viraj G; Tummala, Abhishiktha; Chandrashekar, Sriram; Kido, Cassidee; Roopesh, Ajay; Sun, Xiaoda; Doudrick, Kyle; Chinn, Jeff; Lee, James R; Burgin, Timothy P; Rykaczewski, Konrad

    2015-02-25

    The use of personal protective gear made from omniphobic materials that easily shed drops of all sizes could provide enhanced protection from direct exposure to most liquid-phase biological and chemical hazards and facilitate the postexposure decontamination of the gear. In recent literature, lubricated nanostructured fabrics are seen as attractive candidates for personal protective gear due to their omniphobic and self-healing characteristics. However, the ability of these lubricated fabrics to shed low surface tension liquids after physical contact with other objects in the surrounding, which is critical in demanding healthcare and military field operations, has not been investigated. In this work, we investigate the depletion of oil from lubricated fabrics in contact with highly absorbing porous media and the resulting changes in the wetting characteristics of the fabrics by representative low and high surface tension liquids. In particular, we quantify the loss of the lubricant and the dynamic contact angles of water and ethanol on lubricated fabrics upon repeated pressurized contact with highly absorbent cellulose-fiber wipes at different time intervals. We demonstrate that, in contrast to hydrophobic nanoparticle coated microfibers, fabrics encapsulated within a polymer that swells with the lubricant retain the majority of the oil and are capable of repelling high as well as low surface tension liquids even upon multiple contacts with the highly absorbing wipes. The fabric supported lubricant-swollen polymeric films introduced here, therefore, could provide durable and easy to decontaminate protection against hazardous biological and chemical liquids.

  8. Bepotastine Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... that you think may be caused by contact lenses. Bepotastine eye drops contain benzalkonium chloride, which can be absorbed ... you are wearing contact lenses. Remove your contact lenses before you use bepotastine eye drops and do not replace them for at ...

  9. Topical Delivery of Anti-VEGF Drugs to the Ocular Posterior Segment Using Cell-Penetrating Peptides.

    PubMed

    de Cogan, Felicity; Hill, Lisa J; Lynch, Aisling; Morgan-Warren, Peter J; Lechner, Judith; Berwick, Matthew R; Peacock, Anna F A; Chen, Mei; Scott, Robert A H; Xu, Heping; Logan, Ann

    2017-05-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of anti-VEGF agents for treating choroidal neovascularization (CNV) when delivered topically using novel cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) compared with delivery by intravitreal (ivit) injection. CPP toxicity was investigated in cell cultures. Ivit concentrations of ranibizumab and bevacizumab after topical administration were measured using ELISA. The biological efficacy of topical anti-VEGF + CPP complexes was compared with ivit anti-VEGF injections using an established model of CNV. CPPs were nontoxic in vitro. In vivo, after topical eye drop delivery, CPPs were present in the rat anterior chamber within 6 minutes. A single application of CPP + bevacizumab eye drop delivered clinically relevant concentrations of bevacizumab to the posterior chamber of the rat eye in vivo. Similarly, clinically relevant levels of CPP + ranibizumab and CPP + bevacizumab were detected in the porcine vitreous and retina ex vivo. In an established model of CNV, mice treated with either a single ivit injection of anti-VEGF, twice daily CPP + anti-VEGF eye drops or daily dexamethasone gavage for 10 days all had significantly reduced areas of CNV when compared with lasered eyes without treatment. CPPs are nontoxic to ocular cells and can be used to deliver therapeutically relevant doses of ranibizumab and bevacizumab by eye drop to the posterior segment of mouse, rat, and pig eyes. The CPP + anti-VEGF drug complexes were cleared from the retina within 24 hours, suggesting a daily eye drop dosing regimen. Daily, topically delivered anti-VEGF with CPP was as efficacious as a single ivit injection of anti-VEGF in reducing areas of CNV in vivo.

  10. ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTIONAL CHANGES TEAR PRODUCTION UNDER THE ACTION OF THE EYE DROPS ON THE BASE OF NATURAL MOLECULE OF ECTOINE AND ARTIFICIAL TEARS IN PATIENTS WITH DRY EYE SYNDROME ON THE BACKGROUND OF ENDOCRINE OPHTHALMOPATHY.

    PubMed

    Veselovskaya, N N; Zherebko, I B

    Conducted a comparative analysis of functional changes in tear production in patients with dry eye syndrome and endocrine ophthalmopathy in the conditions of the long-term acting of preservative free medications based on natural substances. A total of 30 people, aged 35 to 53 years old with clinical manifestations of DES on the background of EO were divided on two groups. In I group eye drops of ectoine and in II - artificial tears were administered. The examination included general and specific methods. The term of follow up - 30 days. It was found that long-term use of preservative free eye drops based on ectoine leads to more expressive positive changes in the condition of the anterior surface of the eye and the secretion and quality of the tear.

  11. [Keratomycosis due to Fusarium oxysporum treated with the combination povidone iodine eye drops and oral fluconazole].

    PubMed

    Diongue, K; Sow, A S; Nguer, M; Seck, M C; Ndiaye, M; Badiane, A S; Ndiaye, J M; Ndoye, N W; Diallo, M A; Diop, A; Ndiaye, Y D; Dieye, B; Déme, A; Ndiaye, I M; Ndir, O; Ndiaye, D

    2015-12-01

    In developing countries where systemic antifungal are often unavailable, treatment of filamentous fungi infection as Fusarium is sometimes very difficult to treat. We report the case of a keratomycosis due to Fusarium oxysporum treated by povidone iodine eye drops and oral fluconazole. The diagnosis of abscess in the cornea was retained after ophthalmological examination for a 28-year-old man with no previous ophthalmological disease, addressed to the Ophthalmological clinic at the University Hospital Le Dantec in Dakar for a left painful red eye with decreased visual acuity lasting for 15 days. The patient did not receive any foreign body into the eye. Samples by corneal scraping were made for microbiological analysis and the patient was hospitalized and treated with a reinforced eye drops based treatment (ceftriaxone+gentamicin). The mycological diagnosis revealed the presence of a mold: F. oxysporum, which motivated the replacement of the initial treatment by eye drops containing iodized povidone solution at 1% because of the amphotericin B unavailability. Due to the threat of visual loss, oral fluconazole was added to the local treatment with eye drops povidone iodine. The outcome was favorable with a healing abscess and visual acuity amounted to 1/200th. Furthermore, we noted sequels such as pannus and pillowcase. The vulgarization of efficient topical antifungal in developing countries would be necessary to optimize fungal infection treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Universal Behavior of the Initial Stage of Drop Impact

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klaseboer, Evert; Manica, Rogerio; Chan, Derek Y. C.

    2014-11-01

    During the early stages of the impact of a drop on a solid surface, pressure builds up in the intervening thin lubricating air layer and deforms the drop. The extent of the characteristic deformation is determined by the competition between capillary, gravitational, and inertial forces that has been encapsulated in a simple analytic scaling law. For millimetric drops, variations of the observed deformation with impact velocity V exhibit a maximum defined by the Weber and Eötvös numbers: We =1 +Eo . The deformation scales as V1 /2 at the low-velocity capillary regime and as V-1 /2 at the high-velocity inertia regime, in excellent agreement with a variety of experimental systems.

  13. Skating on a Film of Air: Drops Impacting on a Surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolinski, John M.; Rubinstein, Shmuel M.; Mandre, Shreyas; Brenner, Michael P.; Weitz, David A.; Mahadevan, L.

    2012-02-01

    The commonly accepted description of drops impacting on a surface typically ignores the essential role of the air that is trapped between the impacting drop and the surface. Here we describe a new imaging modality that is sensitive to the behavior right at the surface. We show that a very thin film of air, only a few tens of nanometers thick, remains trapped between the falling drop and the surface as the drop spreads. The thin film of air serves to lubricate the drop enabling the fluid to skate on the air film laterally outward at surprisingly high velocities, consistent with theoretical predictions. Eventually this thin film of air breaks down as the fluid wets the surface via a spinodal-like mechanism. Our results show that the dynamics of impacting drops are much more complex than previously thought, with a rich array of unexpected phenomena that require rethinking classic paradigms.

  14. The rate of collisions due to Brownian or gravitational motion of small drops

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zhang, Xiaoguang; Davis, Robert H.

    1991-01-01

    Quantitative predictions of the collision rate of two spherical drops undergoing Brownian diffusion or gravitational sedimentation are presented. The diffusion equation for relative Brownian motion of two drops is derived, and the relative motion of pairs of drops in gravitational sedimentation is traced via a trajectory analysis in order to develop theoretical models to determine the collision efficiencies, both with and without interparticle forces applied between the drops. It is concluded that finite collision rates between nondeforming fluid drops are possible for Brownian diffusion or gravitational sedimentation in the absence of attractive forces, in stark contrast to the prediction that lubrication forces prevent rigid spheres from contacting each other unless an attractive force that becomes infinite as the separation approaches zero is applied. Collision rates are shown to increase as the viscosity of the drop-phase decreases. In general, hydrodynamic interactions reduce the collision rates more for gravitational collisions than for Brownian collisions.

  15. The Chevron Foil Thrust Bearing: Improved Performance Through Passive Thermal Management and Effective Lubricant Mixing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bruckner, Robert

    2013-01-01

    An improved foil thrust bearing is described that eliminates or reduces the need for forced cooling of the bearing foils while at the same time improves the load capacity of the bearing, enhances damping, provides overload tolerance, and eliminates the high speed load capacity drop-off that plagues the current state of the art. The performance improvement demonstrated by the chevron foil thrust bearing stems from a novel trailing edge shape that splays the hot lubricant in the thin film radially, thus preventing hot lubricant carry-over into the ensuing bearing sector. Additionally, the chevron shaped trailing edge induces vortical mixing of the hot lubricant with the gas that is naturally resident within the inter-pad region of a foil thrust bearing. The elimination of hot gas carry-over in combination with the enhanced mixing has enabled a completely passive thermally managed foil bearing design. Laboratory testing at NASA has confirmed the original analysis and reduced this concept to practice.

  16. Effectiveness of eye drops protective against ultraviolet radiation.

    PubMed

    Daxer, A; Blumthaler, M; Schreder, J; Ettl, A

    1998-01-01

    To test the effectiveness of commercially available ultraviolet (UV)-protective eye drops (8-hydroxy-1-methylchinolinium methylsulphate) which are recommended for protection against both solar and artificial UV radiation. The spectral transmission in the wavelength range from 250 to 500 nm was investigated in 1-nm steps using a high-resolution double monochromator with holographic gratings of 2,400 lines/mm and a 1,000-watt halogen lamp as light source. The transmission spectrum was measured for different values of the layer thickness. The transmission of a liquid layer of about 10 microns, which corresponds to the thickness of the human tear film, shows a cut-off at 290 nm with a transmission of about 25-50% at shorter wavelengths. For wavelengths longer than 290 nm the transmission is higher than 90%. The threshold time ratio for keratitis formation with and without eye drops is above 0.93 considering solar radiation on the earth's surface and above 0.65 considering radiation from arc-welding, respectively. The transmission spectrum of the eye drops under realistic conditions does not show a protective effect against solar UV radiation. However, there exists reduction of UVC radiation in the spectral range typical of artificial UV sources such as arc-welding. We cannot recommend the application of these eye drops as an UV-protective aid against eye damage by solar UV radiation.

  17. Effects of heat-treatment on plasma rich in growth factors-derived autologous eye drop.

    PubMed

    Anitua, E; Muruzabal, F; De la Fuente, M; Merayo-Lloves, J; Orive, G

    2014-02-01

    We have developed and characterized a new type of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) derived eye-drop therapy for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. To determine the concentration of several growth factors, proteins, immunoglobulins and complement activity of the heat-inactivated eye-drop and to study its biological effects on cell proliferation and migration of different ocular surface cells, blood from healthy donors was collected, centrifuged and PRGF was prepared avoiding the buffy coat. The half volume of the obtained plasma supernatant from each donor was heat-inactivated at 56 °C for 1 h (heat-inactivated PRGF). The concentration of several proteins involved on corneal wound healing, immunoglubolins G, M and E and functional integrity of the complement system assayed by CH50 test were determined. The proliferative and migratory potential of inactivated and non-inactivated PRGF eye drops were assayed on corneal epithelial cells (HCE), keratocytes (HK) and conjunctival fibroblasts (HConF). Heat-inactivated PRGF preserves the content of most of the proteins and morphogens involved in its wound healing effects while reduces drastically the content of IgE and complement activity. Heat-inactivated PRGF eye drops increased proliferation and migration potential of ocular surface cells with regard to PRGF showing significant differences on proliferation and migration rate of HCE and HConF respectively. In summary, heat-inactivation of PRGF eye drops completely reduced complement activity and deceased significantly the presence of IgE, maintaining the biological activity of PRGF on ocular surface cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. 21 CFR 349.65 - Labeling of ophthalmic emollient drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...” or “emollient (lubricant)” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form... due to dryness of the eye.” (2) “For the temporary relief of discomfort due to minor irritations of the eye or to exposure to wind or sun.” (3) “For use as a protectant against further irritation or to...

  19. 21 CFR 349.65 - Labeling of ophthalmic emollient drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...” or “emollient (lubricant)” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form... due to dryness of the eye.” (2) “For the temporary relief of discomfort due to minor irritations of the eye or to exposure to wind or sun.” (3) “For use as a protectant against further irritation or to...

  20. Benefits of cetalkonium chloride cationic oil-in-water nanoemulsions for topical ophthalmic drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Daull, Philippe; Lallemand, Frédéric; Garrigue, Jean-Sébastien

    2014-04-01

    Topical ocular administration is the most convenient route of administration of drugs for the treatment of eye diseases. However, the bioavailability of drugs following eye instillations of eye drops is very low. Over the past 20 years, extensive efforts have been put into research to improve drug bioavailability without compromising treatment compliance and patients' quality of life. One of the most efficient ways to improve drug bioavailability is to increase the precorneal residence time of the eye drop formulations. As a result, new eye drops, with bioadhesive properties, have been developed based on the cationic oil-in-water (o/w) nanoemulsion technology. These low viscosity eye drop nanoemulsions have improved precorneal residence time through the electrostatic interactions between the positively charged oil nanodroplets and the negatively charged ocular surface epithelium. This review is the first to present the benefits of this new strategy used to improve ocular drug bioavailability. The roles of the cationic agent in the stabilization of a safe cationic o/w nanoemulsion have been discussed, as well as the unexpected benefits of the cationic o/w nanoemulsion for the protection and restoration of a healthy tear film and corneal epithelium.

  1. Dexamethasone nanowafer as an effective therapy for dry eye disease.

    PubMed

    Coursey, Terry G; Henriksson, Johanna Tukler; Marcano, Daniela C; Shin, Crystal S; Isenhart, Lucas C; Ahmed, Faheem; De Paiva, Cintia S; Pflugfelder, Stephen C; Acharya, Ghanashyam

    2015-09-10

    Dry eye disease is a major public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. It is presently treated with artificial tear and anti-inflammatory eye drops that are generally administered several times a day and may have limited therapeutic efficacy. To improve convenience and efficacy, a dexamethasone (Dex) loaded nanowafer (Dex-NW) has been developed that can release the drug on the ocular surface for a longer duration of time than drops, during which it slowly dissolves. The Dex-NW was fabricated using carboxymethyl cellulose polymer and contains arrays of 500 nm square drug reservoirs filled with Dex. The in vivo efficacy of the Dex-NW was evaluated using an experimental mouse dry eye model. These studies demonstrated that once a day Dex-NW treatment on alternate days during a five-day treatment period was able to restore a healthy ocular surface and corneal barrier function with comparable efficacy to twice a day topically applied dexamethasone eye drop treatment. The Dex-NW was also very effective in down regulating expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, and IFN-γ), chemokines (CXCL-10 and CCL-5), and MMP-3, that are stimulated by dry eye. Despite less frequent dosing, the Dex-NW has comparable therapeutic efficacy to topically applied Dex eye drops in experimental mouse dry eye model, and these results provide a strong rationale for translation to human clinical trials for dry eye. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Effect of oxybuprocaine eye drops on corneal volume and thickness measurements.

    PubMed

    Rosa, Nicola; De Bernardo, Maddalena; Borrelli, Maria; Filosa, Maria Luisa; Lanza, Michele

    2011-05-01

    To investigate the effect of oxybuprocaine eye drops on corneal volume (CV) and corneal thickness measurements. Central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal thinnest point (CTP), and CV of 78 eyes of 78 healthy volunteers were measured with Pentacam, before and 5 min after the administration of oxybuprocaine eye drops. The fellow non-anesthetized eyes were used as control. Before topical anesthesia, the mean CCT was 546.76 ± 35.3 μm, after anesthesia, it was 547.76 ± 36.56 μm (p = 0.86). In the fellow eyes, the first mean CCT was 548.82 ± 35.2 μm and the second was 547.55 ± 35.9 μm (p = 0.82). The mean CTP before anesthesia was 543.99 ± 35.23 μm, after it was 544.89 ± 36.3 μm (p = 0.88). In the fellow eyes, the first mean CTP was 544.15 ± 35.35 μm and the second was 542.81 ± 36 μm (p = 0.81). Before topical anesthesia, the mean CV was 60.55 ± 3.84 mm, after it was 60.66 ± 3.97 mm (p = 0.86). In the fellow eyes, the first mean CV was 60.93 ± 3.87 mm and the second was 60.73 ± 4 mm (p = 0.75). Oxybuprocaine eye drops do not appear to induce a significant corneal swelling and do not affect the measurements when comparing CCT measured with optical or ultrasound devices.

  3. The cellular mechanisms of dry eye: from pathogenesis to treatment.

    PubMed

    Mantelli, Flavio; Massaro-Giordano, Mina; Macchi, Ilaria; Lambiase, Alessandro; Bonini, Stefano

    2013-12-01

    Dry eye is a complex disease characterized by changes in the ocular surface epithelia related to reduced quality and/or quantity of tears, inflammatory reaction, and impairment of ocular surface sensitivity. It has recently been proposed that increased tear osmolarity represents a main trigger to the altered cellular mechanisms leading to epithelial damage in dry eye. However, dry eye pathogenesis is multifactorial, with cytotoxic inflammatory mediators, altered lacrimal gland secretion and nerve function, squamous metaplasia of the conjunctival epithelium and decrease of goblet cells density, all playing a role in a detrimental loop that perpetuates and worsens damage to the corneal and conjunctival epithelia. Current topical treatments for dry eye patients include the use of lubricants and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, lubricants only improve symptoms temporarily, and chronic use of topical steroids is associated to severe ocular side effects such as cataract and glaucoma. The deeper understanding of the cellular mechanisms that are altered in dry eye is opening novel perspectives for patients and physicians, who are seeking treatments capable not only of improving symptoms but also of restoring the homeostasis of the ocular surface. In this review, we will focus on novel anti-inflammatory agents and on nerve growth factor, a neurotrophin that is altered in dry eye and has been suggested as a main player in the neuroimmune cross-talk of the ocular surface as well as in the stimulation of corneal sensitivity, epithelial proliferation and differentiation, and stimulation of mucin production by goblet cells. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 2253-2256, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Eye and orbit ultrasound

    MedlinePlus

    Echography - eye orbit; Ultrasound - eye orbit; Ocular ultrasonography; Orbital ultrasonography ... eye is numbed with medicine (anesthetic drops). The ultrasound wand (transducer) is placed against the front surface ...

  5. Extended release of hyaluronic acid from hydrogel contact lenses for dry eye syndrome.

    PubMed

    Maulvi, Furqan A; Soni, Tejal G; Shah, Dinesh O

    2015-01-01

    Current dry eye treatment includes delivering comfort enhancing agents to the eye via eye drops, but low residence time of eye drops leads to low bioavailability. Frequent administration leads to incompliance in patients, so there is a great need for medical device such as contact lenses to treat dry eye. Studies in the past have demonstrated the efficacy of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the treatment of dry eyes using eye drops. In this paper, we present two methods to load HA in hydrogel contact lenses, soaking method and direct entrapment. The contact lenses were characterized by studying their optical and physical properties to determine their suitability as extended wear contact lenses. HA-laden hydrogel contact lenses prepared by soaking method showed release up to 48 h with acceptable physical and optical properties. Hydrogel contact lenses prepared by direct entrapment method showed significant sustained release in comparison to soaking method. HA entrapped in hydrogels resulted in reduction in % transmittance, sodium ion permeability and surface contact angle, while increase in % swelling. The impact on each of these properties was proportional to HA loading. The batch with 200-μg HA loading showed all acceptable values (parameters) for contact lens use. Results of cytotoxicity study indicated the safety of hydrogel contact lenses. In vivo pharmacokinetics studies in rabbit tear fluid showed dramatic increase in HA mean residence time and area under the curve with lenses in comparison to eye drop treatment. The study demonstrates the promising potential of delivering HA through contact lenses for the treatment of dry eye syndrome.

  6. Effectiveness of Autologous Serum Eye Drops Combined With Punctal Plugs for the Treatment of Sjögren Syndrome-Related Dry Eye.

    PubMed

    Liu, Ying; Hirayama, Masatoshi; Cui, Xin; Connell, Samuel; Kawakita, Tetsuya; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2015-10-01

    To evaluate the efficacy and safety of autologous serum (AS) eye drops combined with punctal plugs (PPs) in patients with Sjögren syndrome (SS)-related dry eye. A retrospective clinical study was performed in patients with dry eye caused by SS. We evaluated the Schirmer test value, tear breakup time (tBUT), and fluorescein and Rose Bengal (RB) staining scores at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and >1 year after treatment. The dry eye indexes were also evaluated in 2 subgroups, which determined by the using of PPs, including the AS + PP group and AS only group. A total of 56 eyes of 28 patients were investigated with a mean follow-up of 42.3 ± 26.1 months. After the application of AS eye drops, the Schirmer test showed no significant changes. The tBUT (2.7 ± 1.9 seconds) was significantly improved at each time point (3.9 ± 3.1, 4.5 ± 3.1, 3.7 ± 2.5, and 5.1 ± 4.0; P < 0.01), fluorescein staining (4.3 ± 2.8) was significantly improved at each time point (2.2 ± 2.2, 1.9 ± 1.9, 1.8 ± 1.6, and 1.8 ± 1.8; P < 0.01), and RB (2.6 ± 3.0) staining was significantly improved from 6-month treatment (1.5 ± 1.9, 1.9 ± 1.9, and 1.4 ± 1.8; P < 0.05, 0.01, and 0.01, respectively). When combined with PPs, the tBUT and RB staining scores were found to be significantly improved in the AS + PP group compared with those of the AS only group. Long-term application of AS eye drops was found to be an effective and apparently safe treatment for SS dry eye. Furthermore, PPs in combination with AS eye drops were considered to have an additive effect on SS dry eye.

  7. Reduction of enhanced rabbit intraocular pressure by instillation of pyroglutamic acid eye drops.

    PubMed

    Ito, Yoshimasa; Nagai, Noriaki; Okamoto, Norio; Shimomura, Yoshikazu; Nakanishi, Kunio; Tanaka, Ryuichiro

    2013-01-01

    L-Pyroglutamic acid (PGA) is an endogenous molecule derived from l-glutamate. We demonstrate the effects of PGA on intraocular pressure (IOP) in experimentally induced ocular hypertension in rabbits. In the in vitro and in vivo transcorneal penetration studies, the PGA solution (PGA in saline) did not penetrate the rabbit cornea. On the other hand, the penetration of PGA was improved by the addition of zinc chloride and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD), and PGA penetration was enhanced with increasing HPCD concentration. Therefore, PGA solutions containing 0.5% zinc chloride and 5% or 10% HPCD (PGA/HPCD(5% or 10%) eye drops) were used to investigate the effects for IOP in this study. An elevation in IOP was induced by the rapid infusion of 5% glucose solution (15 mL/kg of body weight) through the marginal ear vein or maintaining under dark phase for 5 h. In the both models, the induced elevation in IOP was prevented by the instillation of PGA/HPCD eye drops, and the IOP-reducing effect enhanced with increasing HPCD concentration in the drops. Nitric oxide (NO) levels elevated in the aqueous humor following the infusion of 5% glucose solution, and this increase was also suppressed by the instillation of PGA/HPCD eye drops. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that the instillation of PGA/HPCD eye drops has an IOP-reducing effect in rabbits with experimentally induced ocular hypertension, probably as a result of the suppression of NO production.

  8. Time-course of eye movement-related decrease in vividness and emotionality of unpleasant autobiographical memories.

    PubMed

    Smeets, Monique A M; Dijs, M Willem; Pervan, Iva; Engelhard, Iris M; van den Hout, Marcel A

    2012-01-01

    The time-course of changes in vividness and emotionality of unpleasant autobiographical memories associated with making eye movements (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, EMDR) was investigated. Participants retrieved unpleasant autobiographical memories and rated their vividness and emotionality prior to and following 96 seconds of making eye movements (EM) or keeping eyes stationary (ES); at 2, 4, 6, and 10 seconds into the intervention; then followed by regular larger intervals throughout the 96-second intervention. Results revealed a significant drop compared to the ES group in emotionality after 74 seconds compared to a significant drop in vividness at only 2 seconds into the intervention. These results support that emotionality becomes reduced only after vividness has dropped. The results are discussed in light of working memory theory and visual imagery theory, following which the regular refreshment of the visual memory needed to maintain it in working memory is interfered with by eye movements that also tax working memory, which affects vividness first.

  9. Non-preserved 1% lidocaine solution has less antibacterial properties than currently available anaesthetic eye-drops.

    PubMed

    Labetoulle, Marc; Frau, Eric; Offret, Hervé; Nordmann, Patrice; Naas, Thierry

    2002-08-01

    Some anaesthetics inhibit bacterial growth, and thus may lead to low rates of positive cultures from bacterial keratitis. Antibacterial properties of lidocaine were compared with those of oxybuprocaine or tetracaine, either in current commercial eye lotions or in extemporaneous solutions. Forty-eight bacterial strains were used to determine the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of four commercial eye lotions containing oxybuprocaine or tetracaine, of a non-ophthalmic 1% lidocaine commercial solution and of extemporaneously prepared solutions of oxybuprocaine, tetracaine, lidocaine and benzalkonium. Most strains had their growth inhibited by 0.2% oxybuprocaine or 0.4% tetracaine, which corresponds to a 1/2 dilution of the commercial eye-drops. Bacterial growth was still observed with a 1% lidocaine solution. Currently available anaesthetic eye-drops that are used before corneal specimen collection may lead to false-negative bacterial cultures. Conversely, a non-preserved 1% lidocaine solution might be more appropriate in corneal specimen collection.

  10. Efficacy and tolerability of preservative-free eye drops containing a fixed combination of dorzolamide and timolol in glaucoma patients.

    PubMed

    Renieri, Giulia; Führer, Katrin; Scheithe, Karl; Lorenz, Katrin; Pfeiffer, Norbert; Thieme, Hagen

    2010-12-01

    To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of preservative-free eye drops (dorzolamide/timolol) in routine management of preservative-sensitive glaucoma patients. Data from 2,298 glaucoma patients requiring intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction and suffering from intolerance to benzalkonium chloride or active agents of previously used eye drops were valid for baseline and safety analysis in this prospective, open, noncomparative, multicenter, noninterventional study. Patients were treated with preservative-free dorzolamide/timolol eye drops for 12 weeks. Main efficacy endpoint was IOP reduction after 12 weeks of treatment. Two thousand forty-nine patients were considered for efficacy analysis. Tolerability was assessed by evaluating adverse drug reactions. Mean baseline IOP was 20.8 mmHg. Baseline IOP was reduced to 16.7 mmHg after 12 weeks of treatment corresponding to a mean absolute (percent) change of -4.1 mmHg (-17.3%). The proportion of patients with IOP ≤21 mmHg increased from 59.9% at baseline to 94.6% after 12 weeks. The most frequently reported ocular adverse drug reactions were burning eyes (2.4%) and hyperemia (0.9%). Local tolerability improved in 79.3% of patients compared to their previous glaucoma therapy. This observational study confirms the IOP lowering effect of preservative-free eye drops containing the fixed combination of dorzolamide/timolol in a large patient's population. The drug was well tolerated and improved the local tolerability in the vast majority of patients.

  11. Respiratory effect of beta‐blocker eye drops in asthma: population‐based study and meta‐analysis of clinical trials

    PubMed Central

    Dreischulte, Tobias; Lipworth, Brian J.; Donnan, Peter T.; Jackson, Cathy; Guthrie, Bruce

    2016-01-01

    Aims To measure the prevalence of beta‐blocker eye drop prescribing and respiratory effect of ocular beta‐blocker administration in people with asthma. Methods We measured the prevalence of ocular beta‐blocker prescribing in people with asthma and ocular hypertension, and performed a nested case–control study (NCCS) measuring risk of moderate exacerbations (rescue steroids in primary care) and severe exacerbations (asthma hospitalization) using linked data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We then performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical trials evaluating changes in lung function following ocular beta‐blocker administration in people with asthma. Results From 2000 to 2012, the prevalence of non‐selective and selective beta‐blocker eye drop prescribing in people with asthma and ocular hypertension fell from 23.0% to 13.4% and from 10.5% to 0.9% respectively. In the NCCS, the relative incidence (IRR) of moderate exacerbations increased significantly with acute non‐selective beta‐blocker eye drop exposure (IRR 4.83, 95% CI 1.56–14.94) but not with chronic exposure. In the meta‐analysis, acute non‐selective beta‐blocker eye drop exposure caused significant mean falls in FEV1 of −10.9% (95% CI −14.9 to −6.9), and falls in FEV1 of ≥20% affecting one in three. Corresponding values for selective beta‐blockers in people sensitive to ocular non‐selective beta‐blockers was −6.3% (95% CI −11.7 to −0.8), and a non‐significant increase in falls in FEV1 of ≥20%. Conclusion Non‐selective beta‐blocker eye drops significantly affect lung function and increase asthma morbidity but are still frequently prescribed to people with asthma and ocular hypertension despite safer agents being available. PMID:27161880

  12. Coenzyme Q10 instilled as eye drops on the cornea reaches the retina and protects retinal layers from apoptosis in a mouse model of kainate-induced retinal damage.

    PubMed

    Lulli, Matteo; Witort, Ewa; Papucci, Laura; Torre, Eugenio; Schipani, Christian; Bergamini, Christian; Dal Monte, Massimo; Capaccioli, Sergio

    2012-12-17

    To evaluate if coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can protect retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from apoptosis and, when instilled as eye drops on the cornea, if it can reach the retina and exert its antiapoptotic activity in this area in a mouse model of kainate (KA)-induced retinal damage. Rat primary or cultured RGCs were subjected to glutamate (50 μM) or chemical hypoxia (Antimycin A, 200 μM) or serum withdrawal (FBS, 0.5%) in the presence or absence of CoQ10 (10 μM). Cell viability was evaluated by light microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses. Apoptosis was evaluated by caspase 3/7 activity and mitochondrion depolarization tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester analysis. CoQ10 transfer to the retina following its instillation as eye drops on the cornea was quantified by HPLC. Retinal protection by CoQ10 (10 μM) eye drops instilled on the cornea was then evaluated in a mouse model of KA-induced excitotoxic retinal cell apoptosis by cleaved caspase 3 immunohistofluorescence, caspase 3/7 activity assays, and quantification of inhibition of RGC loss. CoQ10 significantly increased viable cells by preventing RGC apoptosis. Furthermore, when topically applied as eye drops to the cornea, it reached the retina, thus substantially increasing local CoQ10 concentration and protecting retinal layers from apoptosis. The ability of CoQ10 eye drops to protect retinal cells from apoptosis in the mouse model of KA-induced retinal damage suggests that topical CoQ10 may be evaluated in designing therapies for treating apoptosis-driven retinopathies.

  13. Glaucoma Medication Adherence among African Americans: Program Development

    PubMed Central

    Dreer, Laura E.; Girkin, Christopher A.; Campbell, Lisa; Wood, Andy; Gao, Liyan; Owsley, Cynthia

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To elucidate barriers and facilitators related to glaucoma medication adherence among African Americans (AA) with glaucoma and to elicit input from a community-based participatory research team in order to guide the development of a culturally informed, health promotion program for improving glaucoma medication adherence among AA’s. Methods The nominal group technique (NGT), a highly structured focus group methodology, was implemented with 12 separate groups of AA’s patients with glaucoma (N = 89) to identify barriers and facilitators related to glaucoma medication usage. Participant rank-ordering votes were summed across groups and categorized into themes. Next, an individually and culturally targeted health promotion program promoting appropriate medication adherence was developed based on focus group results and input from a community-based participatory research team. Results The top five barriers included problems with 1) forgetfulness, 2) side effects, 3) cost/affordability, 4) eye drop administration, and 5) the eye drop schedule. The most salient top five facilitators were 1) fear or thoughts about the consequences of not taking eye drops, 2) use of memory aids, cues, or strategies, 3) maintaining a regular routine or schedule for eye drop administration, 4) ability to afford eye drops, and 5) keeping eye drops in the same area. The resulting health promotion program was based on a multi-component empowerment framework that included glaucoma education, motivational interviewing, and problem-solving training to improve glaucoma medication adherence. Conclusions Barriers and facilitators related to glaucoma medication adherence among AA’s are multifactorial. Based on the NGT themes and input from the community-based participatory research team, a culturally informed, health promotion program was designed and holds great promise for improving medication adherence among this vulnerable population. PMID:23873033

  14. Comparison of the replication and transmissibility of an infectious laryngotracheitis virus vaccine delivered via eye-drop or drinking-water.

    PubMed

    Coppo, Mauricio J C; Devlin, Joanne M; Noormohammadi, Amir H

    2012-01-01

    Live attenuated vaccines have been extensively used to control infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT). Most vaccines are registered/recommended for use via eye-drop although vaccination via drinking-water is commonly used in the field. Drinking-water vaccination has been associated with non-uniform protection. Bird-to-bird passage of chick-embryo-origin (CEO) ILT vaccines has been shown to result in reversion to virulence. The purpose of the present study was to examine the replication and transmission of a commercial CEO infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) vaccine strain following drinking-water or eye-drop inoculation. Two groups of 10 specific-pathogen-free chickens were each vaccinated with Serva ILTV vaccine strain either via eye-drop or drinking-water. Groups of four or five unvaccinated birds were placed in contact with vaccinated birds at regular intervals. Tracheal swabs were collected every 4 days from vaccinated and in-contact birds to assess viral replication and transmission using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Compared with eye-drop-vaccinated birds, drinking-water-vaccinated birds showed delayed viral replication but had detectable viral DNA for a longer period of time. Transmission to chickens exposed by contact on day 0 of the experiments was similar in both groups. Birds exposed to ILTV by contact with eye-drop vaccinated birds on days 4, 8, 12 and 16 of the experiment had detectable ILTV for up to 8 days post exposure. ILTV was not detected in chickens that were exposed by contact with drinking-water vaccinated birds on day 12 of the experiment or later. Results from this study provide valuable practical information for the use of ILT vaccine.

  15. Respiratory effect of beta-blocker eye drops in asthma: population-based study and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

    PubMed

    Morales, Daniel R; Dreischulte, Tobias; Lipworth, Brian J; Donnan, Peter T; Jackson, Cathy; Guthrie, Bruce

    2016-09-01

    To measure the prevalence of beta-blocker eye drop prescribing and respiratory effect of ocular beta-blocker administration in people with asthma. We measured the prevalence of ocular beta-blocker prescribing in people with asthma and ocular hypertension, and performed a nested case-control study (NCCS) measuring risk of moderate exacerbations (rescue steroids in primary care) and severe exacerbations (asthma hospitalization) using linked data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We then performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials evaluating changes in lung function following ocular beta-blocker administration in people with asthma. From 2000 to 2012, the prevalence of non-selective and selective beta-blocker eye drop prescribing in people with asthma and ocular hypertension fell from 23.0% to 13.4% and from 10.5% to 0.9% respectively. In the NCCS, the relative incidence (IRR) of moderate exacerbations increased significantly with acute non-selective beta-blocker eye drop exposure (IRR 4.83, 95% CI 1.56-14.94) but not with chronic exposure. In the meta-analysis, acute non-selective beta-blocker eye drop exposure caused significant mean falls in FEV1 of -10.9% (95% CI -14.9 to -6.9), and falls in FEV1 of ≥20% affecting one in three. Corresponding values for selective beta-blockers in people sensitive to ocular non-selective beta-blockers was -6.3% (95% CI -11.7 to -0.8), and a non-significant increase in falls in FEV1 of ≥20%. Non-selective beta-blocker eye drops significantly affect lung function and increase asthma morbidity but are still frequently prescribed to people with asthma and ocular hypertension despite safer agents being available. © 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.

  16. An Ilomastat-CD Eye Drop Formulation to Treat Ocular Scarring.

    PubMed

    Mohamed-Ahmed, Abeer H A; Lockwood, Alastair; Li, He; Bailly, Maryse; Khaw, Peng T; Brocchini, Steve

    2017-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a topical matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor preparation for antiscarring therapy. The broad spectrum matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor ilomastat was formulated using 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in aqueous solution. In vitro activity of ilomastat-cyclodextrin (ilomastat-CD) was examined using fibroblasts seeded in collagen. Permeation of ilomastat-CD eye drop through pig eye conjunctiva was confirmed using Franz diffusion cells. Ilomastat-CD eye drop was applied to rabbit eyes in vivo, and the distribution of ilomastat in ocular tissues and fluids was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The aqueous solubility of ilomastat-CD was ∼1000 μg/mL in water and 1400 μg/mL in PBS (pH 7.4), which is greater than ilomastat alone (140 and 160 μg/mL in water and PBS, respectively). The in vitro activity of ilomastat-CD to inhibit collagen contraction in the presence of human Tenon fibroblast cells was unchanged compared to uncomplexed ilomastat. Topically administered ilomastat-CD in vivo to rabbit eyes resulted in a therapeutic concentration of ilomastat being present in the sclera and conjunctiva and within the aqueous humor. Ilomastat-CD has the potential to be formulated as an eye drop for use as an antifibrotic, which may have implications for the prevention of scarring in many settings, for example glaucoma filtration surgery.

  17. Plasma Rich in Growth Factors for the Treatment of Dry Eye after LASIK Surgery.

    PubMed

    Sanchez-Avila, Ronald Mauricio; Merayo-Lloves, Jesus; Fernandez, Maria Laura; Rodriguez-Gutierrez, Luis Alberto; Jurado, Nancy; Muruzabal, Francisco; Orive, Gorka; Anitua, Eduardo

    2018-06-08

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye drops in patients with dry eye disease after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery. This is a longitudinal, retrospective, comparative, and descriptive study of 77 eyes of 42 patients with dry eye disease following LASIK surgery. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of PRGF treatment compared to conventional therapy (control group). Outcome measures including signs and symptoms of dry eye disease were evaluated before and after treatment. The percentage of change before and after treatment for each clinical variable measured was compared between both groups. There were 1-4 treatment cycles with PRGF eye drops (1 cycle = 6 weeks). Results showed a statistically significant improvement in the Ocular Surface Disease Index (38.12%), visual analogue scale scores for frequency (41.89%) and severity (42.47%), and the Schirmer test scores (88.98%) after PRGF treatment (p < 0.05). No adverse events were reported after PRGF treatment. These results suggest that PRGF eye drops are effective for the improvement of dry eye symptoms in patients who underwent LASIK surgery in comparison to the conventional therapy. The treatment with PRGF is an alternative for patients who suffer from postoperative dry eye. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. Non-Coalescence Effects in Microgravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Neitzel, G. Paul

    1998-01-01

    Non-coalescence of two bodies of the same liquid and the suppression of contact between liquid drops and solid surfaces is being studied through a pair of parallel investigations being conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Microgravity Research and Support (MARS) Center in Naples, Italy. Both non-coalescence and contact suppression are achieved by exploiting the mechanism of thermocapillary convection to drive a lubricating film of surrounding gas (air) into the space between the two liquid free surfaces (non-coalescence) or between the drop free surface and the solid (contact suppression). Earlier experiments performed included flow-visualization experiments in both axisymmetric and (nearly) two-dimensional geometries and quantitative measurements of film thickness in the contact-suppression case in both geometries. Work done in the second year has focused on obtaining quantitative results relating to the effects of variable air pressure, development of analytical and numerical models of non-coalescing droplets and to pursuing potential applications of these self-lubricated systems.

  19. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on the efficacy of 0.5% indomethacin eye drops in uveitic macular edema.

    PubMed

    Allegri, Pia; Murialdo, Ugo; Peri, Simona; Carniglia, Rosanna; Crivelli, Maria Grazia; Compiano, Silvia; Autuori, Silvia; Mastromarino, Antonio; Zurria, Monia; Marrazzo, Giuseppina

    2014-03-10

    The aim of the present randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of 0.5% indomethacin (INDOM) eye drops in adult patients suffering from macular edema (ME) related to different etiology uveitis. Forty-six eyes of 31 adult patients (20 females and 11 males) mean age 39 years, affected by inflammatory ME, were randomized to receive a dose of commercial 0.5% INDOM eye-drops four times per day (16 subjects = 23 eyes) or placebo (the vehicle of INDOM, 15 subjects = 23 eyes) during a 6-month active therapy follow-up. Study assessment at each visit included visual acuity testing (VA), slit-lamp examination, IOP evaluation, and Heidelberg Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) central foveal thickness (CFT) measurement. Any variation in subjective symptoms and tolerability was also detected. Statistical analysis showed, from baseline to the 6-month visit, a significant reduction in CFT (P < 0.0001) and a significant improvement in VA only in the 0.5% INDOM-treated group; a global reduction of discomfort symptoms was present in both groups (P < 0.001). The four times per day administration of 0.5% INDOM eye drops in eyes affected with uveitic ME from different etiologies, compared with placebo, is associated with a significant reduction in ME at the 6-month follow-up visit, as measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). However, not all eyes showed a complete resolution of ME because of vitreoretinal traction. (https://eudract.ema.europa.eu/index.html number, EUDRACT 2011-001522-20.).

  20. The application of autologous serum eye drops in severe dry eye patients; subjective and objective parameters before and after treatment.

    PubMed

    Jirsova, Katerina; Brejchova, Kristyna; Krabcova, Ivana; Filipec, Martin; Al Fakih, Aref; Palos, Michalis; Vesela, Viera

    2014-01-01

    To assess the impact of autologous serum (AS) eye drops on the ocular surface of patients with bilateral severe dry eye and to draw a comparison between the clinical and laboratory examinations and the degree of subjective symptoms before and after serum treatment. A three-month prospective study was conducted on 17 patients with severe dry eye. AS eye drops were applied a maximum of 12 times a day together with regular therapy. Dry eye status was evaluated by clinical examination (visual acuity, Schirmer test, tear film breakup time, vital staining, tear film debris and meniscus), conjunctival impression cytology (epithelial and goblet cell density, snake-like chromatin, HLA-DR-positive and apoptotic cells) and subjectively by the patients. The application of AS eye drops led to a significant improvement in the Schirmer test (p < 0.01) and tear film debris (p < 0.05). The densities of goblet (p < 0.0001) and epithelial cells (p < 0.05) were significantly increased, indicating a decrease of squamous metaplasia after AS treatment. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) was found in the number of apoptotic, HLA-DR-positive and snake-like chromatin cells on the ocular surface. A significant improvement was found in all evaluated subjective symptoms. Altogether, the clinical results were improved in 77%, the laboratory results in 75% and the subjective feelings in 63% of the eyes. We found that three-month AS treatment led especially to the improvement of ocular surface dryness and damage of the epithelium. The improvement of dry eye after AS treatment correlated well with the clinical, laboratory and subjective findings. From the patients' subjective point of view, the positive effect of AS decreased with time, but still persisted up to three months after the end of therapy.

  1. A New Method to Predict the Epidemiology of Fungal Keratitis by Monitoring the Sales Distribution of Antifungal Eye Drops in Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Ibrahim, Marlon Moraes; de Angelis, Rafael; Lima, Acacio Souza; Viana de Carvalho, Glauco Dreyer; Ibrahim, Fuad Moraes; Malki, Leonardo Tannus; de Paula Bichuete, Marina; de Paula Martins, Wellington; Rocha, Eduardo Melani

    2012-01-01

    Purpose Fungi are a major cause of keratitis, although few medications are licensed for their treatment. The aim of this study is to observe the variation in commercialisation of antifungal eye drops, and to predict the seasonal distribution of fungal keratitis in Brazil. Methods Data from a retrospective study of antifungal eye drops sales from the only pharmaceutical ophthalmologic laboratory, authorized to dispense them in Brazil (Opthalmos) were gathered. These data were correlated with geographic and seasonal distribution of fungal keratitis in Brazil between July 2002 and June 2008. Results A total of 26,087 antifungal eye drop units were sold, with a mean of 2.3 per patient. There was significant variation in antifungal sales during the year (p<0.01). A linear regression model displayed a significant association between reduced relative humidity and antifungal drug sales (R2 = 0.17,p<0.01). Conclusions Antifungal eye drops sales suggest that there is a seasonal distribution of fungal keratitis. A possible interpretation is that the third quarter of the year (a period when the climate is drier), when agricultural activity is more intense in Brazil, suggests a correlation with a higher incidence of fungal keratitis. A similar model could be applied to other diseases, that are managed with unique, or few, and monitorable medications to predict epidemiological aspects. PMID:22457787

  2. Temperature-mediated absorption of phenylmercuric nitrate on polyethylene and polypropylene containers in chloramphenicol eye drops.

    PubMed

    Charoo, Naseem; Chiew, Magdalene; Tay, Amelia; Lian, Lai

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this work was to find the effect of temperature and manufacturing source of phenylmercuric nitrate (PMN) on PMN absorption on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene containers in chloramphenicol eye drops. Two factorial experiments were designed to study the effect of temperature on PMN assay in chloramphenicol eye drops stored in LDPE and prepared from two different PMN sources. PMN source had no effect on PMN assay at 2-8 °C, however at stress conditions (30 °C/75%RH) for 3 weeks, the effect of PMN source on PMN assay was found significant (p < 0.05) in formulations stored in LDPE bottles. Temperature was the major contributor to decreased PMN assay. In formulations stored in polypropylene containers, PMN source had significant effect on PMN assay at 2-8 °C and 30 °C/75%RH. Overall, new PMN and polypropylene bottles performed better. The eye drops complied with preservative efficacy test both initially and at the end of shelf life. The concentration exponent of PMN is very low and in spite of its high absorption by container/closure, PMN was still able to protect the eye drops at the end of shelf life. It can be inferred that preservative efficacy test is the better indicator of preservative activity.

  3. 21 CFR 524.960 - Flumethasone, neomycin, and polymyxin B ophthalmic solution.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... use—(1) Amount—(i) Preparation containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Dogs: 1 to 2 drops per eye, every 6 hours. (ii) Preparation without hydroxyproply methylcellulose. Dogs and cats: 2 to 3 drops per eye, every 4 hours. (2) Indications for use. Treatment of the inflammation, edema, and secondary...

  4. Wettability and friction coefficient of micro-magnet arrayed surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Wei; Liao, Sijie; Wang, Xiaolei

    2012-01-01

    Surface coating is an important part of surface engineering and it has been successfully used in many applications to improve the performance of surfaces. In this paper, magnetic arrayed films with different thicknesses were fabricated on the surface of 316 stainless steel disks. Controllable colloid - ferrofluids (FF) was chosen as lubricant, which can be adsorbed on the magnetic surface. The wettability of the micro-magnet arrayed surface was evaluated by measuring the contract angle of FF drops on surface. Tribological experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of magnetic film thickness on frictional properties when lubricated by FF under plane contact condition. It was found that the magnetic arrayed surface with thicker magnetic films presented larger contract angle. The frictional test results showed that samples with thicker magnetic films could reduce friction and wear more efficiently at higher sliding velocity under the lubrication of FF.

  5. The effects of 3% diquafosol sodium eye drop application on meibomian gland and ocular surface alterations in the Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase-1 (Sod1) knockout mice.

    PubMed

    Ikeda, Keisuke; Simsek, Cem; Kojima, Takashi; Higa, Kazunari; Kawashima, Motoko; Dogru, Murat; Shimizu, Takahiko; Tsubota, Kazuo; Shimazaki, Jun

    2018-04-01

    The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of 3% diquafosol sodium eye drops on meibomian gland and ocular surface alterations in the superoxide dismutase-1 (Sod1 -/- ) mice in comparison to the wild-type mouse. Three percent diquafosol sodium eye drop was instilled to 20 eyes of 10 50-week-old male Sod1 -/- mice and 22 eyes of 11 C57BL/6 strain 50-week-old wild-type (WT) male mice six times a day for 2 weeks. Aqueous tear secretion quantity was measured with phenol red-impregnated cotton threads without anesthesia. Tear film stability and corneal epithelial damage were assessed by fluorescein and lissamine green staining. We also performed oil red O (ORO) lipid staining to evaluate the lipid changes in the meibomian glands. Meibomian gland specimens underwent hematoxylin and eosin staining to examine histopathological changes and meibomian gland acinar unit density after sacrifice. Immunohistochemistry staining was performed using cytokeratin 4, cytokeratin 13, and transglutaminase-1 antibodies. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for cytokeratin 4, cytokeratin 13, and transglutaminase-1 mRNA expression was also performed. The aqueous tear quantity, the mean tear film breakup time, and the number of lipid droplets significantly improved in the Sod1 -/- mice with treatment. The mean meibomian acinar unit density did not change in the Sod1 -/- mice and WT mice after treatment. Application of 3% diquafosol sodium eye drop significantly decreased the corneal fluorescein and lissamine green staining scores in the Sod1 -/- mice after 2 weeks. We showed a notable increase in cytokeratin 4, cytokeratin 13 immunohistochemistry staining, and cytokeratin 4, cytokeratin 13 mRNA expressions with a marked decrease in immunohistochemistry staining and significant decline in mRNA expression of transglutaminase-1 after 3% diquafosol sodium treatment. Topical application of 3% diquafosol sodium eye drop improved the number of lipid droplets, tear stability, and tear production which in turn appeared to have a favorable effect on the ocular surface epithelium. Three percent diquafosol sodium eye drop may be a potential treatment for age-related meibomian gland and dry eye disease based on the observations of the current study.

  6. Condensation of nano-refrigerant inside a horizontal tube

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Darzi, Milad; Sadoughi, M. K.; Sheikholeslami, M.

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, condensing pressure drop of refrigerant-based nanofluid inside a tube is studied. Isobutene was selected as the base fluid while CuO nanoparticles were utilized to prepare nano-refrigerant. However, for the feasibility of nanoparticle dispersion into the refrigerant, Polyester oil (POE) was utilized as lubricant oil and added to the pure refrigerant by 1% mass fraction. Various values of mass flux, vapor quality, concentration of nanoparticle are investigated. Results indicate that adding nanoparticles leads to enhance frictional pressure drop. Nanoparticles caused larger pressure drop penalty at relatively lower vapor qualities which may be attributed to the existing condensation flow pattern such that annular flow is less influenced by nanoparticles compared to intermittent flow regime.

  7. Aging changes in the senses

    MedlinePlus

    ... may not produce enough tears. This leads to dry eyes. When dry eyes are not treated, infection, inflammation, and scarring of the cornea can occur. You can relieve dry eyes by using eye drops or artificial tears. Common ...

  8. Comparing the effects of ketotifen fumarate eye drops and ketotifen oral pills on symptom severity and quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Akhavan, Asghar; Karimi-Sari, Hamidreza; Khosravi, Mohammad Hossein; Arefzadeh, Esmaeil; Yavarahmadi, Mohammadhosein

    2015-05-01

    Allergic rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of nasal mucosa. Previous studies have shown the therapeutic effects of ketotifen eye drops on allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis patients. This study was designed to compare the effects of ketotifen drops and oral ketotifen pills on symptoms and quality of life in allergic rhinitis patients. In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, patients with mild allergic rhinitis who were referred to the allergy clinic of Baqiyatallah Hospital from March to April 2014 were randomly allocated to 2 groups; the first group received ketotifen drops (1 drop every 12 hours) with placebo pills (2 pills daily), and the second group received placebo eye drops with ketotifen pills for 4 weeks. Symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, itching, and nasal obstruction) severity were examined and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) scores were evaluated in the second and fourth weeks. A total of 140 patients were evaluated in 2 groups. The mean age was 30.33 years. There were no significant differences in demographic data between the groups (p > 0.05). Both groups showed a significant improvement in rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, nasal itching, coughing, sneezing, RQLQ, and nasal smear eosinophil percent compared to baseline amounts (p < 0.05). Improvements were significantly more in the drops group (p < 0.05). Because of the absence of systemic complications in ketotifen eye drops in patients with allergic rhinitis and their easy availability in Iran, using this medication instead of systemic therapies is suggested. Nevertheless, more studies are required to evaluate the long-term effects of using this drug and the recurrence rate of symptoms. © 2015 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

  9. Multidose Preservative Free Eyedrops by Selective Removal of Benzalkonium Chloride from Ocular Formulations.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Kuan-Hui; Gupta, Karishma; Nayaka, Harish; Donthi, Aashrit; Kaul, Siddarth; Chauhan, Anuj

    2017-12-01

    About 70% of eye drops contain benzalkonium chloride (BAK) to maintain sterility. BAK is an effective preservative but it can cause irritation and toxicity. We propose to mitigate ocular toxicity without compromising sterility by incorporating a filter into an eye drop bottle to selectively remove BAK during the process of drop instillation. The filter is a packed bed of particles made from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA), which is a common ophthalmic material. We showed that pHEMA particle prepared by using ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate as crosslinker can be incorporated into a modified eyedrop bottle tip to selectively remove the preservative as the formulation is squeezed out of the bottle. Hydraulic permeability of the plug is measured to determine the resistance to eye drop squeezing, and % removal of BAK and drugs are determined. The modified tip has a hydraulic permeability of about 2 Darcy, which allows eyedrops formulations to flow through without excessive resistance. The tip is designed such that the patients can create an eyedrop of solution of 1-10 cP viscosity in 4 s with a nominal pressure. During this short contact time, the packed particles removed nearly 100% of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) from a 15 mL, 0.012% BAK solution but have only minimal impact on the concentration of contained active components. Our novel design can eliminate the preservative induced toxicity from eye drops thereby impacting hundreds of millions of patients with chronic ophthalmic diseases like glaucoma and dry eyes.

  10. New therapeutic modality for corneal endothelial disease using Rho-associated kinase inhibitor eye drops.

    PubMed

    Koizumi, Noriko; Okumura, Naoki; Ueno, Morio; Kinoshita, Shigeru

    2014-11-01

    Corneal endothelial dysfunction accompanied by visual disturbance is a primary indication for corneal endothelial transplantation. However, despite the value and potential of endothelial graft surgery, a strictly pharmacological approach for treating corneal endothelial dysfunction remains an attractive proposition. Previously, we reported that the selective Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632 promotes cell adhesion and proliferation, and inhibits the apoptosis of primate corneal endothelial cells in culture. These findings have led us to develop a novel medical treatment for the early phase of corneal endothelial disease using ROCK inhibitor eye drops. In rabbit and monkey models of partial endothelial dysfunction, we showed that corneal endothelial wound healing was accelerated via the topical application of ROCK inhibitor to the ocular surface, resulting in the regeneration of a corneal endothelial monolayer with a high endothelial cell density. Based on these animal studies, we are now attempting to advance the clinical application of ROCK inhibitor eye drops for patients with corneal endothelial dysfunction. A pilot clinical study was performed at the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, and the effects of Y-27632 eye drops after transcorneal freezing were evaluated in 8 patients with corneal endothelial dysfunction. We observed a positive effect of ROCK inhibitor eye drops in treating patients with central edema caused by Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy. We believe that our new findings will contribute to the establishment of a new approach for the treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction.

  11. Scleral Lenses in the Management of Corneal Irregularity and Ocular Surface Disease.

    PubMed

    Shorter, Ellen; Harthan, Jennifer; Nau, Cherie B; Nau, Amy; Barr, Joseph T; Hodge, David O; Schornack, Muriel M

    2017-09-29

    To describe current practice patterns regarding the use of scleral lens therapy in the management of corneal irregularity and ocular surface disease among eye care providers who fit scleral lenses. The Scleral Lenses in Current Ophthalmic Practice: an Evaluation (SCOPE) study group conducted an electronic survey of eye care providers from January 15 to March 31, 2015. Respondents ranked management options for corneal irregularity in the order in which they would generally consider their use. Respondents also ranked options for the management of ocular surface disease in the order in which they would use each of the treatments. Results for each option were analyzed as percentage first-place ranking; percentage first-, second-, or third-place ranking; and mean rank score. Survey responses were obtained from 723 providers who had fit 5 or more scleral lenses. Of these respondents, 629 ranked options for management of corneal irregularity and 612 ranked options for management of ocular surface disease. Corneal rigid gas-permeable lenses were the first option for management of corneal irregularity for 44% of respondents, and scleral lenses were the first option for 34% of respondents. Lubricant drops were the first therapeutic recommendation for ocular surface disease for 84% of respondents, and scleral lenses were ranked first by 6% of respondents. Scleral lenses rank second only to corneal rigid gas-permeable lenses for management of corneal irregularity. Scleral lenses are generally considered after other medical intervention and before surgery for the management of ocular surface disease.

  12. Effect of electrical current on the tribological behavior of the Cu-WS2-G composites in air and vacuum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qian, Gang; Feng, Yi; Li, Bin; Huang, Shiyin; Liu, Hongjuan; Ding, Kewang

    2013-03-01

    As the traditional graphite-based composites cannot meet the requirement of rapid developing modern industry, novel sliding electrical contact materials with high self-lubricating performance in multiple environments are eagerly required. Herein a copper-based composite with WS2 and graphite as solid lubricant are fabricated by powder metallurgy hot-pressed method. The friction and wear behaviors of the composites with and without current are investigated under the condition with sliding velocity of 10 m/s and normal load of 2.5 N/cm2 in both air and vacuum. Morphologies of the worn surfaces are observed by optical microscope and compositions of the lubricating films are analyzed by XPS. Surface profile curves and roughness of the worn surfaces are obtained by 2205 surface profiler. The results of wear tests show that the friction coefficient and wear volume loss of the composites with current are greater than that without current in both air and vacuum due to the adverse effects of electrical current which damaged the lubricating film partially and roughed the worn surfaces. XPS results demonstrate that the lubricating film formed in air is composed of oxides of Cu, WS2, elemental S and graphite, while the lubricating film formed in vacuum is composed of Cu, WS2 and graphite. Because of the synergetic lubricating action of oxides of Cu, WS2 and graphite, the composites show low friction coefficient and wear volume loss in air condition. Owing to the fact that graphite loses its lubricity which makes WS2 become the only lubricant, severe adhesive and abrasive wear occur and result in a high value of wear rate in vacuum condition. The formation of the lubricating film on the contact interface between the brush and ring is one of the factors which can greatly affect the wear performance of the brushes. The low contact voltage drop of the composites in vacuum condition is attributed to the high content of Cu in the surface film. This study fabricated a kind of new sliding electrical contact self-lubricating composite with dual-lubricant which can work well in both air and vacuum environments and provides a comprehensive analysis on the lubrication mechanisms of the composite.

  13. Apoptosis of conjunctival epithelial cells before and after the application of autologous serum eye drops in severe dry eye disease.

    PubMed

    Rybickova, Ivana; Vesela, Viera; Fales, Ivan; Skalicka, Pavlina; Jirsova, Katerina

    2016-06-01

    To assess the impact of autologous serum eye drops on the level of ocular surface apoptosis in patients with bilateral severe dry eye disease. This prospective study was conducted on 10 patients with severe dry eye due to graft versus host disease (group 1) and 6 patients with severe dry eye due to primary Sjögren's syndrome (group 2). Impression cytology specimens from the bulbar conjunctiva were obtained before and after a three-month treatment with 20% autologous serum eye drops applied a maximum of 12 times a day together with regular therapy with artificial tears. The percentage of apoptotic epithelial cells was evaluated immunochemically using anti-active caspase 3 antibody. In group 1, the mean percentage of apoptotic cells was 3.6% before the treatment. The three-month treatment led to a significant decrease to a mean percentage of 1.8% (P = 0.028). The mean percentage of apoptotic conjunctival cells decreased from 5.4% before the treatment to 3.8% in group 2; however, these results did not reach the level of significance. Three-month autologous serum treatment led to the improvement of ocular surface apoptosis, especially in the group of patients with severe dry eye due to graft versus host disease. This result supports the very positive effect of autologous serum on the ocular surface in patients suffering from severe dry eye.

  14. Clinical evaluation of pazopanib eye drops versus ranibizumab intravitreal injections in subjects with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

    PubMed

    Csaky, Karl G; Dugel, Pravin U; Pierce, Amy J; Fries, Michael A; Kelly, Deborah S; Danis, Ronald P; Wurzelmann, John I; Xu, Chun-Fang; Hossain, Mohammad; Trivedi, Trupti

    2015-03-01

    To evaluate pazopanib eye drops in subjects with active subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Multicountry, randomized, parallel-group, double-masked, active and placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study of eye drops. A total of 510 subjects (93% white; 58% female; mean age, 75.3 years) whose AMD was previously managed by anti-vascular endothelial growth factor intravitreal injections. Treatments administered for 52 weeks included placebo eye drops instilled 4 times daily (n=73); pazopanib 5 mg/ml instilled 3 (n=72) or 4 times daily (n=74); pazopanib 10 mg/ml instilled 2 (n=73), 3 (n=73), or 4 times daily (n=72); or ranibizumab injection administered once every 4 weeks (n=73). In addition, for all eye drop treatment groups, open-label ranibizumab was administered as needed. The main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and injection frequency assessed at week 52. Safety was assessed every 4 weeks and pazopanib plasma concentrations were determined at weeks 4 and 24. At week 52, pazopanib, with allowance for as-needed ranibizumab injections, was noninferior to monthly ranibizumab as well as to as-needed ranibizumab administered with placebo eye drops in maintaining BCVA (estimated BCVA gains of 0.3-1.8 vs. 1.4 vs. 0.2 letters, respectively). Pazopanib treatment did not reduce as-needed ranibizumab injections by ≥50% (prespecified efficacy criterion). At week 52, there were no clinically meaningful changes from baseline in retinal thickness or morphology, CNV size, or lesion characteristics on optical coherence tomography or fluorescein angiography. Complement factor H genotype had no effect on the responses to pazopanib and/or ranibizumab (BCVA, injection rate, or optical coherence tomography/fluorescein angiography changes). Steady-state concentrations of pazopanib in plasma seemed to be reached by week 4. The most common ocular adverse events related to pazopanib and ranibizumab were application site pain (3%) and injection site hemorrhage (1%), respectively. No treatment-related serious adverse events were reported. Pazopanib was well tolerated. Daily pazopanib eye drops in neovascular AMD subjects did not result in therapeutic benefit beyond that obtained with ranibizumab alone. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Study protocol: safety and efficacy of propranolol 0.2% eye drops in newborns with a precocious stage of retinopathy of prematurity (DROP-ROP-0.2%): a multicenter, open-label, single arm, phase II trial.

    PubMed

    Filippi, Luca; Cavallaro, Giacomo; Berti, Elettra; Padrini, Letizia; Araimo, Gabriella; Regiroli, Giulia; Bozzetti, Valentina; De Angelis, Chiara; Tagliabue, Paolo; Tomasini, Barbara; Buonocore, Giuseppe; Agosti, Massimo; Bossi, Angela; Chirico, Gaetano; Aversa, Salvatore; Pasqualetti, Roberta; Fortunato, Pina; Osnaghi, Silvia; Cavallotti, Barbara; Vanni, Maurizio; Borsari, Giulia; Donati, Simone; Nascimbeni, Giuseppe; la Marca, Giancarlo; Forni, Giulia; Milani, Silvano; Cortinovis, Ivan; Bagnoli, Paola; Dal Monte, Massimo; Calvani, Anna Maria; Pugi, Alessandra; Villamor, Eduardo; Donzelli, Gianpaolo; Mosca, Fabio

    2017-07-14

    Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) still represents one of the leading causes of visual impairment in childhood. Systemic propranolol has proven to be effective in reducing ROP progression in preterm newborns, although safety was not sufficiently guaranteed. On the contrary, topical treatment with propranolol eye micro-drops at a concentration of 0.1% had an optimal safety profile in preterm newborns with ROP, but was not sufficiently effective in reducing the disease progression if administered at an advanced stage (during stage 2). The aim of the present protocol is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of propranolol 0.2% eye micro-drops in preterm newborns at a more precocious stage of ROP (stage 1). A multicenter, open-label, phase II, clinical trial, planned according to the Simon optimal two-stage design, will be performed to analyze the safety and efficacy of propranolol 0.2% eye micro-drops in preterm newborns with stage 1 ROP. Preterm newborns with a gestational age of 23-32 weeks, with a stage 1 ROP will receive propranolol 0.2% eye micro-drops treatment until retinal vascularization has been completed, but for no longer than 90 days. Hemodynamic and respiratory parameters will be continuously monitored. Blood samplings checking metabolic, renal and liver functions, as well as electrocardiogram and echocardiogram, will be periodically performed to investigate treatment safety. Additionally, propranolol plasma levels will be measured at the steady state, on the 10th day of treatment. To assess the efficacy of topical treatment, the ROP progression from stage 1 ROP to stage 2 or 3 with plus will be evaluated by serial ophthalmologic examinations. Propranolol eye micro-drops could represent an ideal strategy in counteracting ROP, because it is definitely safer than oral administration, inexpensive and an easily affordable treatment. Establishing the optimal dosage and treatment schedule is to date a crucial issue. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02504944, registered on July 19, 2015, updated July 12, 2016. EudraCT Number 2014-005472-29.

  16. Dry Eye Management: Targeting the Ocular Surface Microenvironment.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaobo; M, Vimalin Jeyalatha; Qu, Yangluowa; He, Xin; Ou, Shangkun; Bu, Jinghua; Jia, Changkai; Wang, Junqi; Wu, Han; Liu, Zuguo; Li, Wei

    2017-06-29

    Dry eye can damage the ocular surface and result in mild corneal epithelial defect to blinding corneal pannus formation and squamous metaplasia. Significant progress in the treatment of dry eye has been made in the last two decades; progressing from lubricating and hydrating the ocular surface with artificial tear to stimulating tear secretion; anti-inflammation and immune regulation. With the increase in knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of dry eye, we propose in this review the concept of ocular surface microenvironment. Various components of the microenvironment contribute to the homeostasis of ocular surface. Compromise in one or more components can result in homeostasis disruption of ocular surface leading to dry eye disease. Complete evaluation of the microenvironment component changes in dry eye patients will not only lead to appropriate diagnosis, but also guide in timely and effective clinical management. Successful treatment of dry eye should be aimed to restore the homeostasis of the ocular surface microenvironment.

  17. Dry Eye Management: Targeting the Ocular Surface Microenvironment

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Xiaobo; Jeyalatha M, Vimalin; Qu, Yangluowa; He, Xin; Ou, Shangkun; Bu, Jinghua; Jia, Changkai; Wang, Junqi; Wu, Han; Liu, Zuguo

    2017-01-01

    Dry eye can damage the ocular surface and result in mild corneal epithelial defect to blinding corneal pannus formation and squamous metaplasia. Significant progress in the treatment of dry eye has been made in the last two decades; progressing from lubricating and hydrating the ocular surface with artificial tear to stimulating tear secretion; anti-inflammation and immune regulation. With the increase in knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of dry eye, we propose in this review the concept of ocular surface microenvironment. Various components of the microenvironment contribute to the homeostasis of ocular surface. Compromise in one or more components can result in homeostasis disruption of ocular surface leading to dry eye disease. Complete evaluation of the microenvironment component changes in dry eye patients will not only lead to appropriate diagnosis, but also guide in timely and effective clinical management. Successful treatment of dry eye should be aimed to restore the homeostasis of the ocular surface microenvironment. PMID:28661456

  18. [Effects of propranolol on oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization in mouse].

    PubMed

    Huang, Xuerong; Wang, Yajuan; Yang, Guangran; Yang, Zixin; Zhang, Jingshang

    2016-02-01

    To investigate whether propranolol application as collyrium or intraperitoneal (IP) injection can promote the recovery of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Thirty-six 7-day-old mice were divided into the following 6 groups: normal control, propranolol eye drops, propranolol IP injection, eye drops negative control, IP injection negative control, and pathological model with 6 mice in each. In a typical model of OIR, litters of mice pups with their nursing mothers were exposed to an infant incubator to high oxygen concentration (75 ± 5)% between postnatal day (PD) 7 and PD12, prior to returning to room air. Two routes of propranolol treatment were assessed from PD12 to PD17: IP injection and eye drop, with doses 2 mg/(kg·time), three times a day. Another three groups were given citric acid buffer eye drops, IP injection of citric acid buffer, and negative control were not treated with any drug. Neonatal mice fed in normal conditions served as normal control. Mice were sacrificed at PD17 to evaluate the morphological changes of retinal vessels by fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran perfusion and retinal whole mount. The retinal neovascularization was evaluated by counting the number of nuclei of the endothelial cell breaking through the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Compared with the oxygen-exposed group, the branches of retinal vessels went normal with a less un-perfused area in the propranolol eye drops and propranolol IP injection groups [(38.9 ± 9.9)% and (5.6 ± 2.3)% vs. (16.2 ± 10.0)% and (2.2 ± 0.8)%, (25.9 ± 5.0)% and (2.1 ± 2.7)%, F=36.12 and 14.55, P both<0.001]. The number of nuclei of endothelial cells breaking through the ILM on the retinal cross-section in the propranolol eye drops group decreased (14.2 ± 5.1) per slide, which was less than that in the oxygen-exposed group (49.1 ± 8.9) per slide and the propranolol IP injection group (18.0 ± 5.9) per slide; it was also less than that in the eye drops negative control group (47.4 ± 8.1) per slide (F=187.60, P<0.05). Moreover, the number of nuclei of endothelial cells breaking through the ILM on the retinal cross-section in the propranolol IP injection group was less than that in the IP injection negative control group (49.9 ± 7.1) per slide (P<0.05). Propranolol could effectively inhibit the formation of retinal neovascularization in mice; the eye drops was more effective than the IP injection.

  19. Corneal Thickness Response after Anesthetic Eye Drops: Our Own Results and Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Calvo-Maroto, Ana M.; Moscardo, Monica; Murillo-Llorente, Mayte

    2018-01-01

    We aimed to test if there are different patterns in the central corneal thickness (CCT) response after instilling oxybuprocaine anesthetic eye drops and also to determine whether there is a significant change in the CCT. CCT was measured in 60 eyes of 60 healthy subjects before and during the hour after oxybuprocaine 0.4% eye drops were instilled. In addition, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out in order to answer the following PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) question: What effect do anesthetic eye drops have on CCT values? We found no significant changes in the mean CCT values during the hour's observation (ANOVA, p = 0.209), and the meta-analysis revealed no statistically significant changes in the CCT after anesthesia (Q-Value = 1.111; p value = 1.000; I2 = 0.000; Tau2 = 0.000; Stderr = 0.020). However, we found three CCT response patterns 5 minutes after anesthesia: Pattern 1, subjects with no significant changes in their CCT values (n = 14, 46.7%); Pattern 2, subjects with significant CCT increases (n = 11, 36.7%); and Pattern 3, subjects with significant CCT decreases (n = 5, 16.7%). In sum, there are no significant changes in the CCT after anesthesia, but there are three different CCT response patterns 5 minutes after anesthesia. PMID:29693008

  20. Corneal Thickness Response after Anesthetic Eye Drops: Our Own Results and Meta-Analysis.

    PubMed

    Perez-Bermejo, Marcelino; Cervino, Alejandro; Calvo-Maroto, Ana M; Moscardo, Monica; Murillo-Llorente, Mayte; Sanchis-Gimeno, Juan A

    2018-01-01

    We aimed to test if there are different patterns in the central corneal thickness (CCT) response after instilling oxybuprocaine anesthetic eye drops and also to determine whether there is a significant change in the CCT. CCT was measured in 60 eyes of 60 healthy subjects before and during the hour after oxybuprocaine 0.4% eye drops were instilled. In addition, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out in order to answer the following PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) question: What effect do anesthetic eye drops have on CCT values? We found no significant changes in the mean CCT values during the hour's observation (ANOVA, p = 0.209), and the meta-analysis revealed no statistically significant changes in the CCT after anesthesia ( Q -Value = 1.111; p value = 1.000; I 2 = 0.000; Tau2 = 0.000; Stderr = 0.020). However, we found three CCT response patterns 5 minutes after anesthesia: Pattern 1, subjects with no significant changes in their CCT values ( n = 14, 46.7%); Pattern 2, subjects with significant CCT increases ( n = 11, 36.7%); and Pattern 3, subjects with significant CCT decreases ( n = 5, 16.7%). In sum, there are no significant changes in the CCT after anesthesia, but there are three different CCT response patterns 5 minutes after anesthesia.

  1. Topical administration of regorafenib eye drops: phase I dose‐escalation study in healthy volunteers

    PubMed Central

    Höchel, Joachim; Becka, Michael; Boettger, Michael K.; Rohde, Beate; Schug, Barbara; Kunert, Kathleen S.; Donath, Frank

    2018-01-01

    Aim Regorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor under investigation for use in neovascular age‐related macular degeneration. In this phase I study, regorafenib eye drops were administered to healthy volunteers to provide information on safety, tolerability and systemic exposure. Methods This was a single‐centre, randomized, double‐masked, parallel‐group, dose‐escalation, placebo‐controlled study. Subjects received regorafenib eye drops (30 mg ml−1, 25 μl) as a 0.75 mg single dose (Cohort 1), 0.75 mg twice daily (bid) or thrice daily (tid) over 14 days (Cohorts 2 and 3, respectively), 1.5 mg tid unilaterally for 3 days, then bilaterally for up to 14 days (Cohort 4), or placebo. Plasma samples were taken to estimate systemic exposure. Safety and functional assessments were performed throughout the study. Results Thirty‐six subjects received regorafenib and 12 received placebo. Regorafenib was safe and well tolerated over the dose range. No pathological changes occurred in the anterior, vitreous or posterior eye compartments. Mild eyelid redness, oedema and conjunctival hyperaemia were observed across all regorafenib cohorts; these were comparable with the effects seen with placebo. Predominant symptoms were blurred vision in the active and placebo groups. Systemic safety evaluations showed no clinically relevant findings. Absolute systemic exposure after multiple administrations of regorafenib eye drops at a dose of 0.75 mg was 600–700‐fold lower than after multiple oral administration of 160 mg day−1, the dose approved in cancer indications. Conclusion These results indicate a favourable safety and tolerability profile of regorafenib eye drops up to 30 mg ml−1 tid for use in clinical studies. PMID:29315699

  2. Effect of caffeine on the intraocular pressure in patients with primary open angle glaucoma

    PubMed Central

    Chandra, Peeyush; Gaur, Ajit; Varma, Shambhu

    2011-01-01

    Purpose Coffee and tea are very common nonalcoholic beverages. However, their intake, particularly that of coffee, has been suggested to increase intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open angle glaucoma/ocular hypertension. The causative agent has been suggested to be their caffeine content. The objective of this study was to determine if this represents a direct caffeine effect. This study was therefore done using pure caffeine applied directly to the eyes. Methods The study was conducted with five human volunteers with open angle glaucoma/ ocular hypertension. IOP was measured using a Perkins applanation tonometer. Eye drops of 1% caffeine were prepared in-home. Following the initial (basal) measurement of the IOP, 50 μL of the eye drop preparation was instilled in the eye at 0-, 4-, and 6-hour intervals. IOPs were measured 30 minutes after each instillation. A second study was also undertaken following the first. In this study, the same patients instilled the eye drops three times per day for 1 week at home and then returned to the clinic on day 7. They were then again treated with caffeine eye drops as above and IOPs measured. Results In the 1-day study, the mean basal IOP was 23.6 ± 2.80 mmHg. Thirty minutes after instillation of the drops as described, the pressures were 23.2 ± 1.93, 22.2 ± 1.99, and 22.6 ± 2.31. The basal reading was taken at 10 am and another reading was then taken at 10.30 am. Additional eye drops were instilled at 2 and 8 pm and readings taken 30 minutes after each instillation. In the 1 week study, the basal value was 22.6 ± 2.32. After instillation of the drops as above the values were 23 ± 2.16, 22.4 ± 2.27, and 23 ± 1.94. Conclusion Administration of caffeine into the eyes of patients did not have any effect on IOP and it remained relatively unchanged. This was true in the 1-day study as well as in the 1-week study. A cumulative effect was not visible. The results therefore demonstrate that caffeine has no significant effect on IOP in patients with glaucoma. Any effects reported in coffee drinkers may therefore be related to other constituents in coffee, known to be generated pyrolytically from endogenous constituents of coffee beans by roasting at relatively high temperature, combined with the osmotic effects imposed by adequate fluid intake, known to be common in glaucoma patients. PMID:22140308

  3. Recent developments on dry eye disease treatment compounds.

    PubMed

    Colligris, Basilio; Alkozi, Hanan Awad; Pintor, Jesus

    2014-01-01

    Dry eye syndrome is a common tears and ocular surface multifactorial disease, described by changes in the ocular surface epithelia related to reduced tears quantity and ocular surface sensitivity, leading to inflammatory reaction. Managing the eye inflammation proved helpful to patients with dry eye disease and current treatment is based on the use of topically applied artificial tear products/lubricants, tear retention management, stimulation of tear secretion and using anti-inflammatory drugs. In this article we revise the corresponding literature and patents assembling the new treatment approaches of novel and future pharmaceutical compounds destined for the dry eye disease treatment. The most frequent categories of compounds presented are secretagogues and anti-inflammatory drugs. These compounds are the research outcome of novel therapeutic strategies designed to reduce key inflammatory pathways and restore healthy tear film.

  4. Comparison of Fucithalmic viscous eye drops and Chloramphenicol eye ointment as a single treatment in corneal abrasion.

    PubMed

    Boberg-Ans, G; Nissen, K R

    1998-02-01

    To compare the healing of the cornea and the incidence of infection after traumatic corneal epithelial defect after single treatment with double bandage combined with either Fucithalmic single unit dose eye drops or chloramphenicol eye ointment. This is a single-centre, randomised, single-blind, parallel-group study of 144 patients with accidental corneal abrasion or corpus alieni cornea who were referred to the Eye Department at Gentofte Hospital. The injured eye was examined with a photo slit-lamp before and 24 hours after treatment. The size of the abrasion was recorded and calculated on a PCX computerized video system and by slit-lamp photography. The Fucithalmic and chloramphenicol ointment treated groups showed no significant difference in corneal healing, local side effects, or signs of local infection.

  5. Additive Effect of preservative-free sodium hyaluronate 0.1% in treatment of dry eye syndrome with diquafosol 3% eye drops.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Ho Sik; Sung, Yoon-Mi; Lee, Weon Sun; Kim, Eun Chul

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment effect of diquafosol 3% with preservative-free sodium hyaluronate 0.1% eye drops in dry eye syndrome. In total, 150 patients with dry eye syndrome were divided randomly into 3 groups. Group 1 (50 patients) was treated 4 times daily with preserved sodium hyaluronate 0.1%, group 2 (50 patients) was treated 4 times daily with diquafosol 3%, and group 3 (50 patients) was treated 4 times daily with diquafosol 3% and preservative-free sodium hyaluronate 0.1% eye drops for 3 months. Ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score, tear film break-up time, Schirmer I test, corneal fluorescein staining, and impression cytology were evaluated. There were significant improvements in the OSDI score, tear film break-up time, Schirmer I score, fluorescein and Rose Bengal staining, goblet cell density, and impression cytological findings in groups 2 and 3 compared with those for group 1 in patients with dry eye syndrome at 1, 2, and 3 months (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant improvements in the OSDI score (-8.48 ± 0.97, -5.69 ± 0.78; P = 0.02), fluorescein (-1.43 ± 0.21, -1.02 ± 0.18; P = 0.03), and Rose Bengal staining (-1.12 ± 0.26, -0.75 ± 0.12; P = 0.03), goblet cell density (89.65 ± 14.39, 70.36 ± 16.75; P = 0.03), and impression cytological findings (-0.53 ± 0.12, -0.34 ± 0.90; P = 0.01) in group 3 compared with those in group 2 at 3 months. Treatment with diquafosol 3% with preservative-free sodium hyaluronate 0.1% was more effective than diquafosol 3% monotherapy or treatment with preserved sodium hyaluronate 0.1% in dry eye syndrome. Preservative-free sodium hyaluronate 0.1% eye drops can increase the effect of diquafosol 3% in dry eye syndrome.

  6. The Effect of Immunologically Safe Plasma Rich in Growth Factor Eye Drops in Patients with Sjögren Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Sanchez-Avila, Ronald Mauricio; Merayo-Lloves, Jesus; Riestra, Ana Cristina; Anitua, Eduardo; Muruzabal, Francisco; Orive, Gorka; Fernández-Vega, Luis

    2017-06-01

    The objective was to provide preliminary information about the efficacy and safety of immunologically safe plasma rich in growth factor (immunosafe PRGF) eye drops in the treatment of moderate to severe dry eye in patients with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and to analyze the influence of several variables on treatment outcomes. This retrospective study included patients with SS. All patients were treated with previously immunosafe PRGF eye drops to reduce the immunologic component contents. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scale, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), visual analog scale (VAS) frequency, and VAS severity outcome measures were evaluated before and after treatment with immunosafe PRGF. The potential influence of some patient clinical variables on results was also assessed. Safety assessment was also performed reporting all adverse events. Twenty-six patients (12 patients with primary SS, and 14 patients suffering secondary SS) with a total of 52 affected eyes were included and evaluated. Immunosafe PRGF treatment showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in OSDI scale (41.86%), in BCVA (62.97%), in VAS frequency (34.75%), and in VAS severity (41.50%). BCVA and VAS frequency scores improved significantly (P < 0.05) after concomitant treatment of PRGF with corticosteroids. Only 2 adverse events were reported in 2 patients (7.7% of patients). Signs and symptoms of dry eye syndrome in patients with SS were reduced after treatment with PRGF-Endoret eye drops. Immunosafe PRGF-Endoret is safe and effective for treating patients with primary and secondary SS.

  7. Evaluation of a community-based participatory farmworker eye health intervention in the "black dirt" region of New York state.

    PubMed

    Earle-Richardson, Giulia; Wyckoff, Lynae; Carrasquillo, Marilyn; Scribani, Melissa; Jenkins, Paul; May, John

    2014-09-01

    Eye irritation is a constant hazard for migrant and seasonal farmworkers, but there are few studies of the problem or how to address it. Researchers evaluated the effect of a community-based participatory eye health intervention on farmworker eye symptoms in the Hudson Valley, NY. A randomized pre-post intervention with 2, 4-week follow-up periods was implemented with a sample of 97 farmworkers. Five eye symptoms were measured, along with utilization of protective eyewear and eye drops. Leading baseline eye symptoms were redness (49%), blurred vision (43%), itching (43%), and eye pain (29%). Significant reductions in eye pain (P = 0.009), and non-significant reductions in redness were observed for the intervention group while controls experienced increases in both. The intervention was effective in significantly reducing eye pain, and to a lesser extent, redness. Future eyewear promotion programs should offer a range of eye wear, tailor offerings to local climate and tasks, evaluate eyewear durability, and include eye drops. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Cyclosporine Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... used to increase tear production in people with dry eye disease. Cyclosporine is in a class of medications ... Be sure to mention other eye drops for dry eye disease.if you are using artificial tears, instill ...

  9. Eye drops preservative as the cause of corneal band keratopathy in long-term pilocarpine hydrochloride treatment.

    PubMed

    Pavicić-Astalos, Jasna; Lacmanović-Loncar, Valentina; Petric-Vicković, Ivanka; Sarić, Dean; Mandić, Zdravko; Csik, Tigrena; Susić, Nikola

    2012-03-01

    The aim is to present a patient with severe bilateral corneal complications after long-term antiglaucoma treatment with 1% pilocarpine hydrochloride (Pilokarpin, Pliva, Zagreb, Croatia) and its management. A patient with narrow-angle glaucoma treated with 1% topical pilocarpine hydrochloride eye drops for the last twenty years complained of impaired vision, intermittent visual haloes and eye redness. Ophthalmologic examination showed bilateral band keratopathy, peripheral laser iridotomy, medicamentous myosis, brown nuclear cataract, and synchysis scintillans of his right eye. Band keratopathy was thought to have resulted from the presence of the preservative phenylmercuric nitrate in the pilocarpine hydrochloride eye drops. Treatment of the patient consisted of two separate procedures for both eyes, i.e. phaco trabeculectomy and six months later corneal procedure including abrasion of corneal epithelium followed by removal of the superficial stromal calcium deposits by means of a 3.75% ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA) solution. After phaco trabeculectomy, visual acuity was 0.8 on both eyes. Bilateral visual improvement with visual acuity 1.0 was recorded after corneal treatment with EDTA. In conclusion, one must be aware of preservative complications in long-term topical use, such as band keratopathy that can be visually incapacitating. Surgical treatment using EDTA is safe and effective treatment for band keratopathy.

  10. Ptosis induced by topical steroid eye drops: Two cases reports.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Yanan; Sun, Chaohui; Zhang, Xin; Shentu, Xingchao

    2017-12-01

    Ptosis is a rare complication of periocular steroid use. Studies report that local injections of steroids produce ptosis. We describe the first 2 cases of ptosis because of long-term treatment with topical steroid eye drops. Two cases admitted to our hospital because of ptosis of their right eye after long-term treatment with topical steroid eye drops. Both of them had uncontrolled Posner-Schlossman syndrome. Two cases were diagnosed as steroid-related ptosis. Regulatory anti-inflammation therapy was prescribed for case 1, and after inflammation control, phacoemulsification was done for her. Six months after steroid withdrawal, the levator resection of the right eye was performed. Case 2 refused our advice of steroid reduction and ptosis surgery. After surgery, case 1 retained a symmetrical appearance during a 1-year follow-up. In the surgery, we found thin levator muscles and slack levator palpebrae superioris aponeurosis (LPSA) in the affected eye. Postoperative transmission electron microscopy revealed typical signs of apoptosis in levator muscle cells. We suggest topical application of steroids induces levator muscle apoptosis and LPSA weakness, and results in ptosis. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Tear film dynamics with evaporation, wetting, and time-dependent flux boundary condition on an eye-shaped domain

    PubMed Central

    Li, Longfei; Braun, R. J.; Maki, K. L.; Henshaw, W. D.; King-Smith, P. E.

    2014-01-01

    We study tear film dynamics with evaporation on a wettable eye-shaped ocular surface using a lubrication model. The mathematical model has a time-dependent flux boundary condition that models the cycles of tear fluid supply and drainage; it mimics blinks on a stationary eye-shaped domain. We generate computational grids and solve the nonlinear governing equations using the OVERTURE computational framework. In vivo experimental results using fluorescent imaging are used to visualize the influx and redistribution of tears for an open eye. Results from the numerical simulations are compared with the experiment. The model captures the flow around the meniscus and other dynamic features of human tear film observed in vivo. PMID:24926191

  12. Effect of lubricant on spray evaporation heat transfer performance of R-134a and R-22 in tube bundles

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moeykens, S.A.; Pate, M.B.

    1996-11-01

    This study evaluates the effects of lubricant on spray evaporation heat transfer performance. Tests were conducted with refrigerant R-134a and triangular-pitch tube bundles made from enhanced-condensation, enhanced-boiling, low-finned, and plain-surface tubes. A 340-SUS polyol-ester (POE) oil was used for the R-134a testing because this lubricant is being integrated into industry for use with this refrigerant. Refrigerant was sprayed onto the tube bundles with low-pressure-drop, wide-angle nozzles located directly above the bundle. Collector testing was conducted with both R-134a and R-22 to determine the percentage of refrigerant contacting the tue bundle. It was found that small concentrations of the polyol-ester lubricantmore » yielded significant improvement in the heat transfer performance of R-134a. The shell-side heat transfer coefficient was more dependent on lubricant concentration than on film-feed supply rate within the range of the respective parameters evaluated in this study. As expected, pure R-22 results show higher heat transfer coefficients than those obtained with pure R-134a at the same saturation temperature of 2.0 C (35.6 F).« less

  13. Recovery From Amiodarone-Induced Cornea Verticillata by Application of Topical Heparin.

    PubMed

    Frings, Andreas; Schargus, Marc

    2017-11-01

    To report a case of amiodarone-induced vortex keratopathy-associated anatomical findings and subjective visual perception before and after treatment with topical heparin eye drops. Case report. A 76-year-old man complained of halos in his vision in both his eyes due to prominent bilateral cornea verticillata. For treatment of cornea verticillata, we prescribed unpreserved eye drops of a sterile, phosphate-free solution of 0.1% sodium hyaluronate with 1300 IU/mL heparin sodium 3 times daily to the left eye, whereas the other side served as the control. The area of corneal deposits was measured by 2 examiners before and at the 1- and 3-month examination. At last follow-up, cornea verticillata had been reduced from 6 to 2 mm in area by approximately 66% from grade-III to grade-II amiodarone keratopathy. In patients using amiodarone, clearing of cornea verticillata may be achieved by topical use of unpreserved eye drops of a sterile, phosphate-free solution of 0.1% sodium hyaluronate with 1300 IU/mL heparin sodium.

  14. Corneal thickness differences between sexes after oxybuprocaine eye drops.

    PubMed

    Fernandez-Garcia, Pablo; Cerviño, Alejandro; Quiles-Guiñau, Laura; Albarran-Diego, Cesar; Garcia-Lazaro, Santiago; Sanchis-Gimeno, Juan A

    2015-01-01

    We aimed to analyze the corneal thickness (CT) values of female and male subjects before and after instillation of oxybuprocaine 0.4% anesthetic eye drops. The CT of 30 female subjects and 28 male subjects was measured using scanning-slit corneal topography (Orbscan Topography System II, Orbscan, Inc, Salt Lake City, UT). Measurements were carried out before and 3 minutes after the instillation of oxybuprocaine 0.4% eye drops. The difference between the baseline values and those obtained after anesthesia ranged as follows: male subjects: central, -26 to +24 μm; superior, -24 to +23 μm; inferior, -19 to +20 μm; nasal, -25 to +30 μm; and temporal, -21 to +20 μm; female subjects: central, -16 to +24 μm; superior, -19 to +32 μm; inferior, -14 to +34 μm; nasal, -19 to +33 μm; and temporal, -36 to +16 μm. No significant differences were found in any corneal location in male subjects. The differences were significant at inferior (p = 0.001) and nasal (p = 0.011) corneal sites in female subjects. Oxybuprocaine anesthetic eye drops induce significant CT increases in female subjects but not in male subjects.

  15. Effect of Glyceraldehyde Cross-Linking on a Rabbit Bullous Keratopathy Model.

    PubMed

    Wang, Mengmeng

    2015-01-01

    Background. To evaluate the effects of corneal glyceraldehyde CXL on the rabbit bullous keratopathy models established by descemetorhexis. Methods. Fifteen rabbits were randomly divided into five groups. Group A (n = 3) is the control group. The right eyes of animals in Groups B,C, D, and E (n = 3, resp.) were suffered with descemetorhexis procedures. From the 8th day to the 14th day postoperatively, the right eyes in Groups C and D were instilled with hyperosmolar drops and glyceraldehyde drops, respectively; the right eyes in Group E were instilled with both hyperosmolar drops and glyceraldehyde drops. Central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal transparency score, and histopathological analysis were applied on the eyes in each group. Results. Compared with Group A, statistically significant increase in CCT and corneal transparency score was found in Groups B, C, D, and E at 7 d postoperatively (P < 0.05) and in Groups C, D, and E at 14 d postoperatively (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Chemical CXL technique using glyceraldehyde improved the CCT and corneal transparency of the rabbit bullous keratopathy models. Topical instillation with glyceraldehyde and hyperosmolar solutions seems to be a good choice for the bullous keratopathy treatment.

  16. Comparison of 0.3% Hypotonic and Isotonic Sodium Hyaluronate Eye Drops in the Treatment of Experimental Dry Eye.

    PubMed

    Li, Ying; Cui, Lian; Lee, Hyo Seok; Kang, Yeon Soo; Choi, Won; Yoon, Kyung Chul

    2017-08-01

    To compare the efficacy of 0.3% hypotonic and isotonic sodium hyaluronate (SH) eye drops in the treatment of experimental dry eye. Experimental dry eye was established in female C57BL/6 mice by subcutaneous scopolamine injection and an air draft. The mice were divided into three groups (n = 15): control, preservative-free 0.3% isotonic SH, and preservative-free 0.3% hypotonic SH. The tear volume, tear film break-up time, and corneal fluorescein staining scores were measured 5 and 10 days after treatment. After conjunctival tissues were excised at 10 days, the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, interferon (IFN)-γ, and IFN-γ inducible protein-10 were determined using the multiplex immunobead assay. In addition, PAS staining and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the counts of conjunctival goblet cells and CD4+ IFN-γ+ T cells. Mice treated with 0.3% hypotonic SH showed a significant decrease in corneal staining scores (P = 0.04) and the levels of IL-6 (16.7 ± 1.4 pg/mL, P = 0.02) and IFN-γ (46.5 ± 11.5 pg/mL, P = 0.02) compared to mice treated with 0.3% isotonic SH (IL-6; 32.5 ± 8.8 pg/mL, IFN-γ; 92.0 ± 16.0 pg/mL) at day 10. Although no significant difference in CD4+ IFN-γ+ T cell numbers was observed, goblet cell counts were higher in the hyopotonic SH group than in the isotonic SH group (P = 0.02). When compared to 0.3% isotonic SH eye drops, 0.3% hypotonic SH eye drops can be more effective by improving corneal staining scores, decreasing inflammatory molecules, and increasing goblet cell counts for experimental dry eye. These data suggest that hypotonic artificial tears may be useful as an adjunctive treatment for inflammatory dry eye.

  17. Effects of unilateral topical atropine on binocular pupil responses and eye growth in mice.

    PubMed

    Barathi, V A; Beuerman, Roger W; Schaeffel, Frank

    2009-02-01

    Studies on drugs selected to target myopia development often use the vehicle-treated fellow eye as a control. However, it is not clear how much of the drug reaches the fellow eye, rendering it a potentially invalid control. Therefore, in this study, pupil responses were used to probe the effects of atropine in both eyes in mice, after unilateral topical application. In a second experiment, interocular differences in refractive development and axial eye growth were studied while atropine was applied daily to one eye. In 20 C57BL/6 (B6) wildtype mice, a single drop of 1% atropine solution was instilled into one eye. Mice were gently restrained by holding their necks while video image processing software detected the pupil and measured its diameter at a sampling rate of 30 Hz. A bright green LED, attached to the photoretinoscope of the video camera, was flashed. Pupil responses were quantified daily over a period of 2 weeks. In another group of 24 mice, one drop of 1% atropine was applied daily for 28 days. Axial length was measured pre- and post-treatment, using low coherence interferometry (the Zeiss AC-Master). Refractive development was measured by infrared photorefraction. Similar to previous findings with the same device, untreated eyes displayed a pupil constriction of 24.84+/-1.73% upon stimulation with the green LED. A single drop of 1% atropine caused complete suppression with no significant recovery over the whole observation period of two weeks. The responses in the fellow eye were temporarily reduced to about 75% and then recovered towards baseline. After daily atropine application, there was significant reduction in axial length of the eyes, relative to the saline-treated fellow eyes (3.234+/-0.186 versus 3.378+/-0.176 mm, n=24, p<0.01, paired t-test) and the refractions became more hyperopic/less myopic (+13.46+/-2.15 D versus +10.06+/-2.02 D, n=24, p<0.01). In line with previous findings, one drop of atropine solution caused a long lasting suppression of pupil responses in the mouse eye. New data show that the transfer to the fellow eye was limited, making interocular comparisons feasible. It is also new that topical atropine reduced axial eye growth even when mice had largely normal vision.

  18. Phenylephrine eye drops in pediatric patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery: incidence, presentation, and management of complications during general anesthesia.

    PubMed

    Sbaraglia, Fabio; Mores, Nadia; Garra, Rossella; Giuratrabocchetta, Giuseppe; Lepore, Domenico; Molle, Fernando; Savino, Gustavo; Piastra, Marco; Pulitano', Silvia; Sammartino, Maria

    2014-04-01

    Phenylephrine eye drops are widely used as mydriatic agent to reach the posterior segment of the eye. In literature, many reports suggest a systemic absorption of this agent as a source of severe adverse drug reactions. Hence, we reviewed our experience with topical phenylephrine in ophthalmic surgery. In May 2006, following US guidelines publication, a standard operating procedure was issued in our operating rooms to standardize the use of phenylephrine eye drops in our practice. Two years later, after the occurrence of a cluster of serious adverse drug reactions in infants undergoing surgery, a review of phenylephrine safety and systemic complications incidence was performed. We observed 451 pediatric patients, and 187 met the inclusions criteria: Among them, 4 experienced hemodynamic complications due to phenylephrine eye drops. The incidence of major complications was 2.1%. Two different patterns of side effects occurred. The first one was a cardiovascular derangement with severe hypertension and heart rate alterations; the other one involved exclusively pulmonary circuit causing early edema. These clinical manifestations, their duration, and treatment responses are all explainable by alfa1-adrenergic action of phenylephrine. This hypothetic pathogenesis has been confirmed also by the usefulness of direct vasodilators (anesthetic agents) and by the negative outcome occurred in the past with the use of beta-blockers. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Use of traditional eye medicine and self-medication in rural India: A population-based study.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Noopur; Vashist, Praveen; Tandon, Radhika; Gupta, Sanjeev K; Kalaivani, Mani; Dwivedi, S N

    2017-01-01

    To determine the type and nature of traditional eye medicine (TEM), their sources and use and practices related to self-medication for ophthalmic diseases in a rural Indian population. A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 randomly selected clusters of Rural Gurgaon, Haryana, India as part of CORE (Cornea Opacity Rural Epidemiological) study. In addition to comprehensive ophthalmic examination, health-seeking behavior and use of self-medication and TEM was assessed in the adult population using a semi-structured questionnaire. Physical verification of available ophthalmic medications in the enumerated households was conducted by the study team. Descriptive statistics were computed along with multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine associated factors for use of self-medication and TEM. Of the 2160 participants interviewed, 396 (18.2%) reported using ophthalmic medications without consulting an ophthalmologist, mainly for symptoms like watering (37.1%), redness (27.7%), itching (19.2%) and infection (13.6%). On physical verification of available eye drops that were being used without prescription, 26.4% participants were practicing self-medication. Steroid, expired/unlabeled and indigenous eye drops were being used by 151(26.5%), 120(21.1%) and 75 (13.2%) participants respectively. Additionally, 25.7% (529) participants resorted to home remedies like 'kajal'(61.4%), honey (31.4%), ghee (11.7%) and rose water (9.1%). Use of TEM is prevalent in this population. The rampant use of steroid eye drops without prescription along with use of expired or unlabelled eye drops warrants greater emphasis on safe eye care practices in this population. Public awareness and regulatory legislations must be implemented to decrease harmful effects arising due to such practices.

  20. Ocular tissue distribution and pharmacokinetic study of a small 13kDa domain antibody after intravitreal, subconjuctival and eye drop administration in rabbits.

    PubMed

    Gough, Gerald; Szapacs, Matthew; Shah, Tejash; Clements, Peter; Struble, Craig; Wilson, Robert

    2018-02-01

    Domain antibodies (dAb's) comprise the smallest functional unit of human IgG and can be targeted to a range of different soluble cytokine and receptor targets in the eye. In particular their small size may offer advantage for ocular tissue penetration and distribution. To investigate this we used a 13kDa tool molecule to undertake a preliminary short term ocular tissue distribution and pharmacokinetic study in the rabbit eye. The dAb was administered by the intravitreal or subconjunctival route or, as topical eye drops for up to five days and dAb concentrations measured in vitreous, aqueous, conjunctiva, choroid-RPE, retina, iris, sclera, and ciliary body. The observed elimination half-live of the dAb (~3 days) in vitreous showed a similar elimination rate to that of a much larger (∼50kDa) Fab fragment whilst the half-life following subconjunctival administration was ∼24 h and, after eye drop dosing the dAb was detectable in aqueous and conjunctiva. These preliminary data show that the intravitreal half-life of dAb's are similar to much larger antibody fragments, offering the potential to deliver significantly more drug to target on a molar basis with a single intravitreal injection potentially enabling dosing frequencies of once a month or less. Subconjunctival injection may provide short duration therapeutic levels of dAb to the anterior and posterior chamber whilst topical eye drop delivery of dAbs may be useful in front-of-eye disease. These data indicate that small domain antibodies may have utility in ophthalmology. Further studies are warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Use of traditional eye medicine and self-medication in rural India: A population-based study

    PubMed Central

    Gupta, Noopur; Tandon, Radhika; Gupta, Sanjeev K.; Kalaivani, Mani; Dwivedi, S. N.

    2017-01-01

    Objective To determine the type and nature of traditional eye medicine (TEM), their sources and use and practices related to self-medication for ophthalmic diseases in a rural Indian population. Methods A population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 randomly selected clusters of Rural Gurgaon, Haryana, India as part of CORE (Cornea Opacity Rural Epidemiological) study. In addition to comprehensive ophthalmic examination, health-seeking behavior and use of self-medication and TEM was assessed in the adult population using a semi-structured questionnaire. Physical verification of available ophthalmic medications in the enumerated households was conducted by the study team. Descriptive statistics were computed along with multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine associated factors for use of self-medication and TEM. Results Of the 2160 participants interviewed, 396 (18.2%) reported using ophthalmic medications without consulting an ophthalmologist, mainly for symptoms like watering (37.1%), redness (27.7%), itching (19.2%) and infection (13.6%). On physical verification of available eye drops that were being used without prescription, 26.4% participants were practicing self-medication. Steroid, expired/unlabeled and indigenous eye drops were being used by 151(26.5%), 120(21.1%) and 75 (13.2%) participants respectively. Additionally, 25.7% (529) participants resorted to home remedies like ‘kajal’(61.4%), honey (31.4%), ghee (11.7%) and rose water (9.1%). Conclusion Use of TEM is prevalent in this population. The rampant use of steroid eye drops without prescription along with use of expired or unlabelled eye drops warrants greater emphasis on safe eye care practices in this population. Public awareness and regulatory legislations must be implemented to decrease harmful effects arising due to such practices. PMID:28829812

  2. A comparison of preservative-free diclofenac and preserved diclofenac eye drops after cataract surgery in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

    PubMed

    Yasuda, Kanako; Miyazawa, Akiko; Shimura, Masahiko

    2012-06-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the anti-inflammatory efficacy of preservative-free and preserved 0.1% diclofenac eye drops for the management of postoperative inflammation after cataract surgery in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy and in normal controls. Forty-two diabetic patients and 50 normal control patients who underwent small-incision phacoemulsification cataract surgery bilaterally received topical preservative-free diclofenac in 1 eye and preserved diclofenac in the other eye. The corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) as determined by a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart, intraocular pressure (IOP), foveal thickness (FT) using optical coherence tomography (OCT), and the anterior chamber flare (ACF) score measured with a laser flare cell meter were monitored for 12 weeks after surgery. In the eyes with diabetic retinopathy, there were no significant differences in CDVA, IOP, FT, and ACF score between the right and left eyes at the initial exam. After cataract surgery, changes in CDVA, IOP, and FT were not influenced by the preservative in the diclofenac eye drops. In contrast, the ACF score in the eyes treated with preserved diclofenac showed slower recovery from postoperative inflammation than the eyes treated with preservative-free diclofenac. In the normal control eyes, similar but milder changes were observed in each of the clinical parameters. Because preservative suppressed the anti-inflammatory efficacy of topical diclofenac after cataract surgery, preservative-free diclofenac may have an improved safety profile during postoperative treatment, especially in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

  3. Recent developments on dry eye disease treatment compounds

    PubMed Central

    Colligris, Basilio; Alkozi, Hanan Awad; Pintor, Jesus

    2013-01-01

    Dry eye syndrome is a common tears and ocular surface multifactorial disease, described by changes in the ocular surface epithelia related to reduced tears quantity and ocular surface sensitivity, leading to inflammatory reaction. Managing the eye inflammation proved helpful to patients with dry eye disease and current treatment is based on the use of topically applied artificial tear products/lubricants, tear retention management, stimulation of tear secretion and using anti-inflammatory drugs. In this article we revise the corresponding literature and patents assembling the new treatment approaches of novel and future pharmaceutical compounds destined for the dry eye disease treatment. The most frequent categories of compounds presented are secretagogues and anti-inflammatory drugs. These compounds are the research outcome of novel therapeutic strategies designed to reduce key inflammatory pathways and restore healthy tear film. PMID:24526854

  4. Performance of Metal Cutting on Endmills Manufactured by Cooling-Air and Minimum Quantity Lubrication Grinding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inoue, Shigeru; Aoyama, Tojiro

    Grinding fluids have been commonly used during the grinding of tools for their cooling and lubricating effect since the hard, robust materials used for cutting tools are difficult to grind. Grinding fluids help prevent a drop in hardness due to burning of the cutting edge and keep chipping to an absolute minimum. However, there is a heightened awareness of the need to improve the work environment and protect the global environment. Thus, the present study is aimed at applying dry grinding, cooling-air grinding, cooling-air grinding with minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), and oil-based fluid grinding to manufacturing actual endmills (HSS-Co). Cutting tests were performed by a vertical machining center. The results indicated that the lowest surface inclination values and longest tool life were obtained by cooling-air grinding with MQL. Thus, cooling-air grinding with MQL has been demonstrated to be at least as effective as oil-based fluid grinding.

  5. Nanotribology of charged polymer brushes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klein, Jacob

    Polymers at surfaces, whose modern understanding may be traced back to early work by Sam Edwards1, have become a paradigm for modification of surface properties, both as steric stabilizers and as remarkable boundary lubricants2. Charged polymer brushes are of particular interest, with both technological implications and especially biological relevance where most macromolecules are charged. In the context of biolubrication, relevant in areas from dry eye syndrome to osteoarthritis, charged polymer surface phases and their complexes with other macromolecules may play a central role. The hydration lubrication paradigm, where tenaciously-held yet fluid hydration shells surrounding ions or zwitterions serve as highly-efficient friction-reducing elements, has been invoked to understand the excellent lubrication provided both by ionized3 and by zwitterionic4 brushes. In this talk we describe recent advances in our understanding of the nanotribology of such charged brush systems. We consider interactions between charged end-grafted polymers, and how one may disentangle the steric from the electrostatic surface forces5. We examine the limits of lubrication by ionized brushes, both synthetic and of biological origins, and how highly-hydrated zwitterionic chains may provide extremely effective boundary lubrication6. Finally we describe how the lubrication of articular cartilage in the major joints, a tribosystem presenting some of the greatest challenges and opportunities, may be understood in terms of a supramolecular synergy between charged surface-attached polymers and zwitterionic groups7. Work supported by European Research Council (HydrationLube), Israel Science Foundation (ISF), Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society, ISF-NSF China Joint Program.

  6. LASIK and dry eye.

    PubMed

    Toda, Ikuko

    2007-01-01

    Dry eye is one of the most common complications after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). The clinical signs of post-LASIK dry eye include positive vital staining of ocular surface, decreased tear film breakup time and Schirmer test, reduced corneal sensitivity, and decreased functional visual acuity. The symptoms and signs last at least 1 month after LASIK. Although the mechanisms for developing post-LASIK dry eye are not completely understood, loss of corneal innervation by flap-making may affect the reflex loops of the corneal-lacrimal gland, corneal-blinking, and blinking-meibomian gland, and blinking-meibomian gland, resulting in decreased aqueous and lipid tear secretion and mucin expression. As LASIK enhancement by flap-lifting induces less dry eye symptoms and signs than first surgery, it is suggested that other factors rather than loss of neurotrophic effect may be involved in the mechanisms of post-LASIK dry eye. The treatments of dry eye include artificial tears, topical cyclosporine, hot compress, punctal plugs, and autologous serum eye drops. For patients with severe preoperative dry eye, a combination of punctal plugs and serum eye drops is required to be used before surgery.

  7. Long-wave dynamics of an elastic sheet lubricated by a thin liquid film on a wetting substrate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Young, Y.-N.; Stone, H. A.

    2017-06-01

    The dynamics of an elastic sheet lubricated by a thin liquid film on a wetting solid substrate is examined using both numerical simulations of a long-wave lubrication equation and a quasistatic model. Interactions between the liquid and the wetting substrate are modeled by a disjoining pressure that gives rise to an ultrathin (precursor) film. For a fluid interface without elastic bending stiffness, a flat precursor film may be linearly unstable and evolve towards an equilibrium of a single "drop" connected to a flat ultrathin film. Similar behavior is found when the thin film is covered by an elastic sheet: The sheet deforms, rearranging the thin liquid film, and contributes regulating surface forces such as a bending resistance and/or a tensile force, which may arise from interactions between the sheet and liquid or inextensibility of the sheet. Glasner's quasistatic model [Phys. Fluids 15, 1837 (2003), 10.1063/1.1578076], developed for a liquid film, is adopted to investigate the combined effects of elastic and tensile forces in the sheet on the thin film dynamics. The equilibrium height of the drop is found to vary inversely with the bending rigidity. When the elastic sheet is inextensible (such as a lipid bilayer membrane), a compressive tensile force may occur and the equilibrium film height is dependent less on the bending rigidity and more on the excess area of the membrane. Analyses of the lubrication equation also show that the precursor film transitions monotonically to the core film for tension-dominated dynamics. In contrast, for elasticity-dominated dynamics, a spatial oscillation of film height in the contact line region is found. In addition, elasticity in the sheet causes a sliding motion of the thin film: the contact angle is rendered zero by elasticity, and the contact line moves at a finite speed.

  8. 40 CFR Appendix 7 to Subpart A of... - API Recommended Practice 13B-2

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... facilitate cleaning and funnel-shaped top to catch falling drops. For compliance monitoring under the NPDES... condenser. b. Pack the retort body with steel wool. c. Apply lubricant/sealant to threads of retort cup and... the clean and dry liquid receiver. This is mass (C), grams. Place the receiver below condenser outlet...

  9. 40 CFR Appendix 7 to Subpart A of... - API Recommended Practice 13B-2

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... facilitate cleaning and funnel-shaped top to catch falling drops. For compliance monitoring under the NPDES... condenser. b. Pack the retort body with steel wool. c. Apply lubricant/sealant to threads of retort cup and... the clean and dry liquid receiver. This is mass (C), grams. Place the receiver below condenser outlet...

  10. Stability and in vitro toxicity of an infliximab eye drop formulation.

    PubMed

    Robert, Marie-Claude; Spurr-Michaud, Sandra; Frenette, Mathieu; Young, David; Gipson, Ilene K; Dohlman, Claes H

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a novel 10-mg/mL infliximab eye drop, to characterize its physical and biological stability under recommended storage conditions, and to assess the formulation's toxicity to ocular surface epithelium in vitro. Infliximab (10 mg/mL) was reconstituted using equal volumes of sterile water and 1% carboxymethylcellulose artificial tears. Aliquots were stored in either a 4 degrees C refrigerator or -20 degrees C freezer for up to 45 days. Physical stability was assessed through monitoring the solution's appearance, pH, ultraviolet-visible-near infrared absorbance and scattering, as well as protein gel electrophoresis. Biological stability was assayed through binding to tumor necrosis factor-alpha using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In vitro cytotoxicity to human corneal-limbal epithelial cells was examined following a 4-hour exposure to the study drug. Refrigerated and frozen infliximab eye drops remained clear and colorless for the duration of study. The formulation's pH (7.0) was comparable to that of the artificial tear vehicle alone. Low levels of ultraviolet-visible-near infrared light absorbance and scattering established the lack of protein precipitate after refrigeration or freezing. Protein gel electrophoresis performed under reducing conditions revealed the presence of two main protein bands of approximately 50 kDa and 25 kDa, representing immunoglobulin G heavy and light chains. The migration pattern of the proteins did not change under the different storage conditions and between day 10 and 45 after formulation. Infliximab binding to tumor necrosis factor-alpha remained stable for up to 45 days, with conservation of 101% and 102% of its initial binding activity when refrigerated or frozen, respectively. In vitro human corneal-limbal epithelial cultures showed no increase in cytotoxicity with infliximab treatment when compared to vehicle and culture media controls (P > 0.05). Infliximab can be formulated as an eye drop and remains stable when stored in accordance with current regulations regarding compounded eye drops. The demonstrated physical and biological stability as well as in vitro innocuity of this infliximab eye drop formulation may facilitate future clinical investigation targeting tumor necrosis factor-alpha as a modulator of various ocular surface diseases.

  11. Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Characteristics Associated with Glaucoma in Community Living Older Adults: Prelude to a Screening Trial?

    PubMed

    Klein, Barbara E K; Johnson, Chris A; Meuer, Stacy M; Lee, Kyungmoo; Wahle, Andreas; Lee, Kristine E; Kulkarni, Amruta; Sonka, Milan; Abràmoff, Michael D; Klein, Ronald

    2017-04-01

    To examine the associations of nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness with other ocular characteristics in older adults. Participants in the Beaver Dam Eye Study (2008-2010) underwent spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans of the optic nerve head, imaging of optic discs, frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry, measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP), and an interview concerning their history of glaucoma and use of drops to lower eye pressure. Self-reported histories of glaucoma and the use of drops to lower eye pressure were obtained at follow-up examinations (2014-2016). NFL thickness measured on OCTs varied by location around the optic nerve. Age was associated with mean NFL thickness. Mean NFL was thinnest in eyes with larger cup/disc (C/D) ratios. Horizontal hemifield defects or other optic nerve-field defects were associated with thinner NFL. NFL in persons who reported taking eye drops for high intraocular pressure was thinner compared to those not taking drops. After accounting for the presence of high intraocular pressure, large C/D ratios or hemifield defects, eyes with thinner NFL in the arcades were more likely (OR = 2.3 for 30 micron thinner NFL, p = 0.04) to have incident glaucoma at examination 5 years later. Retinal NFL thickness was associated with a new history of self-reported glaucoma 5 years later. A trial testing the usefulness of NFL as part of a screening battery for predicting glaucoma in those previously undiagnosed might lead to improved case finding and, ultimately, to diminishing the risk of visual field loss.

  12. Effect of topical corneal anaesthesia on ocular response analyzer parameters: pilot study.

    PubMed

    Ehongo, A; De Maertelaer, V; Pourjavan, S

    2009-10-01

    The effect of topical corneal anaesthesia on corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal compensated IOP (IOPcc) was measured by ocular response analyzer (ORA). Observational, cross-sectional study. We examined both eyes of 23 healthy volunteers. Patients with external eye disease, previous refractive surgery, contact lenses or topical medication were excluded. ORA parameters were first measured in both eyes. Oxybuprocaïne 0.4% eye drop was instilled in the right eyes (RE) and physiologic saline in the left eyes (LE) as a control to rule out the lubrication effect. After 2 min, the ORA measurements were performed again. Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) was finally done. Data are expressed as mean +/- standard deviation (SD). The medians of the four CH, CRF, IOPg, and IOPcc values measured before and after instillation were compared by using Wilcoxon signed ranks tests for RE and LE. The mean age was 39.5 +/- 11.6 years. The mean GAT was 13.1 +/- 2.5 mmHg for RE and 12.8 +/- 2.5 mmHg for LE. In the RE, the respective values for the two sequences were IOPcc = 15.6 +/- 2.6 mmHg and 15 +/- 2.8 mmHg (P = 0.036); IOPg = 15.3 +/- 3.3 mmHg and 15.4 +/- 3.5 mmHg (P = 0.806); CH = 11 +/- 1.3 mmHg and 11.1 +/- 1.4 mmHg (P = 0.563); CRF = 11.1 +/- 1.8 mmHg and 10.9 +/- 1.9 mmHg (P = 0.053). In the LE, the respective values for the two sequences were IOPcc = 15.4 +/- 2.6 mmHg and 15.6 +/- 2.8 mmHg (P = 0.903); IOPg = 15.5 +/- 3.5 mmHg and 15.4 +/- 3.4 mmHg (P = 0.208); CH = 10.8 +/- 1.4 mmHg and 10.7 +/- 1.7 mmHg (P = 0.494); CRF = 10.7 +/- 1.8 mmHg and 10.7 +/- 2.2 mmHg (P = 0.626). Two minutes after instillation, topical corneal anaesthetic slightly decreases IOPcc and also-but not statistically significantly-CRF. We did not find any statistical significant difference in CH or IOPg before and after topical corneal anaesthesia. Further investigation with more patients should be advised.

  13. Keratomalacia

    MedlinePlus

    ... affected, resulting in an inadequate tear film and dry eyes. People with extreme eye dryness can develop foamy ... keratomalacia is based on the presence of a dry or ulcerated cornea in an undernourished person. ... eye drops or ointments Treatment of vitamin A deficiency ...

  14. Amblyopia

    MedlinePlus

    ... in the good eye [See figure 4] and work as a great alternative to patching in selected cases. This forces the child to use the weaker eye. For mild to moderate degrees of amblyopia, studies have shown that patching or eye drops may ...

  15. Treatment with sodium hyaluronate eye drops in a patient who had early-onset bleb leakage after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C

    PubMed Central

    Sagara, Hideto; Sekiryu, Tetsuju; Noji, Hiroki; Ogasawara, Masashi; Imaizumi, Kimihiro; Yago, Keiko

    2015-01-01

    We present the case of a 47-year-old man who had bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy and neovascular glaucoma. Schirmer I test revealed tear secretions of 5 mm and 3 mm in the right and left eyes, respectively. Tear breakup times in the right and left eyes were 7 and 8 seconds, respectively. The ocular surface staining in both eyes was scored as Grade 1 as per the Oxford scheme. Retinal photocoagulation was performed for correction of the proliferative diabetic retinopathy and rubeosis iridis, which resolved with treatment. However, the intraocular pressure in the left eye could not be adequately controlled. Therefore, trabeculectomy with mitomycin C using limbal-based conjunctival flap was performed. Three hours after the surgery, the patient developed a large and diffuse filtering bleb, but no leakage occurred from the conjunctival scar. However, on the first postoperative day, leakage was noted and the conjunctiva was at the leakage point. The leakage resolved transiently, but recurred the next day. Severe keratoconjunctival epithelial failure was detected, and the patient was administrated 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops six times daily. The epithelial failure improved, and many microcysts were detected on the bleb surface where the epithelial failure improved. The leakage resolved 2 days after initiation of the sodium hyaluronate eye drops. The microcysts disappeared and the bleb surface became smooth 1 month later. PMID:26664245

  16. Treatment with sodium hyaluronate eye drops in a patient who had early-onset bleb leakage after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C.

    PubMed

    Sagara, Hideto; Sekiryu, Tetsuju; Noji, Hiroki; Ogasawara, Masashi; Imaizumi, Kimihiro; Yago, Keiko

    2015-01-01

    We present the case of a 47-year-old man who had bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy and neovascular glaucoma. Schirmer I test revealed tear secretions of 5 mm and 3 mm in the right and left eyes, respectively. Tear breakup times in the right and left eyes were 7 and 8 seconds, respectively. The ocular surface staining in both eyes was scored as Grade 1 as per the Oxford scheme. Retinal photocoagulation was performed for correction of the proliferative diabetic retinopathy and rubeosis iridis, which resolved with treatment. However, the intraocular pressure in the left eye could not be adequately controlled. Therefore, trabeculectomy with mitomycin C using limbal-based conjunctival flap was performed. Three hours after the surgery, the patient developed a large and diffuse filtering bleb, but no leakage occurred from the conjunctival scar. However, on the first postoperative day, leakage was noted and the conjunctiva was at the leakage point. The leakage resolved transiently, but recurred the next day. Severe keratoconjunctival epithelial failure was detected, and the patient was administrated 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops six times daily. The epithelial failure improved, and many microcysts were detected on the bleb surface where the epithelial failure improved. The leakage resolved 2 days after initiation of the sodium hyaluronate eye drops. The microcysts disappeared and the bleb surface became smooth 1 month later.

  17. Usability of prostaglandin monotherapy eye droppers.

    PubMed

    Drew, Tom; Wolffsohn, James S

    2015-09-01

    To determine the force needed to extract a drop from a range of current prostaglandin monotherapy eye droppers and how this related to the comfortable and maximum pressure subjects could exert. The comfortable and maximum pressure subjects could apply to an eye dropper constructed around a set of cantilevered pressure sensors and mounted above their eye was assessed in 102 subjects (mean 51.2±18.7 years), repeated three times. A load cell amplifier, mounted on a stepper motor controlled linear slide, was constructed and calibrated to test the force required to extract the first three drops from 13 multidose or unidose latanoprost medication eye droppers. The pressure that could be exerted on a dropper comfortably (25.9±17.7 Newtons, range 1.2-87.4) could be exceeded with effort (to 64.8±27.1 Newtons, range 19.9-157.8; F=19.045, p<0.001), and did not differ between repeats (F=0.609, p=0.545). Comfortable and maximum pressures exerted were correlated (r=0.618, p<0.001), neither were influenced strongly by age (r=0.138, p=0.168; r=-0.118, p=0237, respectively), but were lower in women than in men (F=12.757, p=0.001). The force required to expel a drop differed between dropper designs (F=22.528, p<0.001), ranging from 6.4 Newtons to 23.4 Newtons. The force needed to exert successive drops increased (F=36.373, p<0.001) and storing droppers in the fridge further increased the force required (F=7.987, p=0.009). Prostaglandin monotherapy droppers for glaucoma treatment vary in their resistance to extract a drop and with some a drop could not be comfortably achieved by half the population, which may affect compliance and efficacy. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  18. An upright eyedrop bottle: accuracy, usage of excess drops, and contamination compared to a conventional bottle.

    PubMed

    Davies, Isaiah J; Brown, Ninita H; Wen, Joanne C; Stinnett, Sandra S; Kubelick, Kelsey; Patel, Roma P; Benokraitis, Kristin L; Greene, Latoya; Cheek, Curry; Muir, Kelly W

    2016-01-01

    This study tested the feasibility of using an upright eyedrop bottle (UEB), a device designed to assist patients with eyedrop placement without reclining their head. Experienced eyedrop users were enrolled who answered "yes" to the question, "Do you ever have trouble getting your eyedrops in?" After being shown a multimedia presentation and answering a questionnaire regarding eyedrop usage, participants were observed instilling eyedrops. Participants were instructed to instill a single eyedrop in each eye with both a standard bottle and the UEB. They repeated this process three times. With each trial, the amount of time taken to instill drops was recorded, as well as whether a drop landed in the eye (accuracy), if excess drops were used, and if the bottle tip was contaminated. Forty participants were enrolled, with an average age of 72.4±8.9 years; the majority were females (24 females). Thirty-four participants had been using eyedrops for at least 1 year. The time required to instill eyedrops was significantly less with the UEB in the second and third trials. There was no difference in accuracy between the conventional bottle and the UEB in the left or right eye in any trials. Significantly more participants used excess number of drops while using the conventional bottle in both the left and right eyes in all three trials. The bottle tip was never contaminated with the UEB. Depending on the trial and the eye, the conventional bottle was contaminated by between 42% and 53% of participants. The UEB has the potential to assist patients with eyedrop placement. Although there was no difference in accuracy between the UEB and the conventional bottle, the UEB was associated with less use of excess drops and less contamination of the bottle tip, compared to the conventional bottle.

  19. Cationic Thiolated Poly(aspartamide) Polymer as a Potential Excipient for Artificial Tear Formulations.

    PubMed

    Budai-Szűcs, Mária; Horvát, Gabriella; Szilágyi, Barnabás Áron; Gyarmati, Benjámin; Szilágyi, András; Berkó, Szilvia; Szabó-Révész, Piroska; Sandri, Giuseppina; Bonferoni, Maria Cristina; Caramella, Carla; Soós, Judit; Facskó, Andrea; Csányi, Erzsébet

    2016-01-01

    Dry eye disease is a relatively common ocular problem, which causes eye discomfort and visual disorders leading to a decrease in the quality of life. The aim of this study was to find a possible excipient for eye drop formulations, which is able to stabilize the tear film. A cationic thiolated polyaspartamide polymer, poly[(N-mercaptoethylaspartamide)-co-(N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethyl)aspartamide)] (ThioPASP-DME), was used as a potential vehicle. Besides satisfying the basic requirements, the chemical structure of ThioPASP-DME is similar to those of ocular mucins as it is a protein-like polymer bearing a considerable number of thiol groups. The solution of the polymer is therefore able to mimic the physiological properties of the mucins and it can interact with the mucus layer via disulphide bond formation. The resultant mucoadhesion provides a prolonged residence time and ensures protective effect for the corneal/conjunctival epithelium. ThioPASP-DME also has an antioxidant effect due to the presence of the thiol groups. The applicability of ThioPASP-DME as a potential excipient in eye drops was determined by means of ocular compatibility tests and through examinations of the interactions with the mucosal surface. The results indicate that ThioPASP-DME can serve as a potential eye drop excipient for the therapy of dry eye disease.

  20. Tear film thickness after treatment with artificial tears in patients with moderate dry eye disease.

    PubMed

    Schmidl, Doreen; Schmetterer, Leopold; Witkowska, Katarzyna J; Unterhuber, Angelika; dos Santos, Valentin Aranha; Kaya, Semira; Nepp, Johannes; Baar, Carina; Rosner, Peter; Werkmeister, René M; Garhofer, Gerhard

    2015-04-01

    This study was designed to investigate the effect of a single-drop instillation of different lacrimal substitutes on tear film thickness (TFT) assessed with optical coherence tomography in patients with mild to moderate dry eye disease. The study was performed in a randomized, double-masked, controlled parallel group design. Patients received a single dose of either unpreserved trehalose 30 mg/mL and sodium hyaluronate 1.5 mg/mL (TH-SH, Thealoz Duo), unpreserved sodium hyaluronate, 0.15% (HA, Hyabak) or sodium chloride, 0.9% (NaCl, Hydrabak) eye drops. Sixty patients finished the study according to the protocol. TFT was measured with a custom-built ultrahigh-resolution Fourier domain optical coherence tomography system providing a resolution of 1.2 μm. The mean TFT before treatment was 2.5 ± 0.4 μm. Ten minutes after instillation, TFT significantly increased in the TH-SH group from 2.4 ± 0.4 to 3.1 ± 0.9 μm (P < 0.01) and in the HA group from 2.4 ± 0.3 to 2.9 ± 0.5 μm (P < 0.01), whereas no significant change was observed in the NaCl group (from 2.6 ± 0.4 to 2.7 ± 0.4 μm, P = 0.76). The increase in TFT remained statistically significant up to 240 minutes after administration of TH-SH. In contrast, the increase in TFT after administration of HA was only statistically significant at 10, 20, and 40 minutes after drop instillation. The findings of this study indicate that single instillation of TH-SH and HA eye drops increases TFT in patients with dry eye disease. The data also indicate longer corneal residence of the TH-containing eye drops. The effect of multiple instillation and long-term use of artificial tears on TFT warrants further investigation.

  1. Visual function assessment in simulated real-life situations in patients with age-related macular degeneration compared to normal subjects.

    PubMed

    Barteselli, G; Gomez, M L; Doede, A L; Chhablani, J; Gutstein, W; Bartsch, D-U; Dustin, L; Azen, S P; Freeman, W R

    2014-10-01

    To evaluate visual function variations in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to normal eyes under different light/contrast conditions using a time-dependent visual acuity testing instrument, the Central Vision Analyzer (CVA). Overall, 37 AMD eyes and 35 normal eyes were consecutively tested with the CVA after assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using ETDRS charts. The CVA established visual thresholds for three mesopic environments (M1 (high contrast), M2 (medium contrast), and M3 (low contrast)) and three backlight-glare environments (G1 (high contrast, equivalent to ETDRS), G2 (medium contrast), and G3 (low contrast)) under timed conditions. Vision drop across environments was calculated, and repeatability of visual scores was determined. BCVA significantly reduced with decreasing contrast in all eyes. M1 scores for BCVA were greater than M2 and M3 (P<0.001); G1 scores were greater than G2 and G3 (P<0.01). BCVA dropped more in AMD eyes than in normal eyes between M1 and M2 (P=0.002) and between M1 and M3 (P=0.003). In AMD eyes, BCVA was better using ETDRS charts compared to G1 (P<0.001). The drop in visual function between ETDRS and G1 was greater in AMD eyes compared to normal eyes (P=0.004). Standard deviations of test-retest ranged from 0.100 to 0.139 logMAR. The CVA allowed analysis of the visual complaints that AMD patients experience with different lighting/contrast time-dependent conditions. BCVA changed significantly under different lighting/contrast conditions in all eyes, however, AMD eyes were more affected by contrast reduction than normal eyes. In AMD eyes, timed conditions using the CVA led to worse BCVA compared to non-timed ETDRS charts.

  2. 21 CFR 524.1600b - Nystatin, neomycin, thiostrepton, and triamcinolone acetonide ophthalmic ointment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... conjunctivitis in cats and dogs and for infectious kerato-conjunctivitis (pink eye) in cattle. (2) It is to be administered as follows: (i) For conjunctivitis and keratitis: Apply one drop of ointment to the affected eye(s... infectious kerato-conjunctivitis: Apply small line of ointment to the affected eye(s) once daily. Treatment...

  3. 21 CFR 524.1600b - Nystatin, neomycin, thiostrepton, and triamcinolone acetonide ophthalmic ointment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... conjunctivitis in cats and dogs and for infectious kerato-conjunctivitis (pink eye) in cattle. (2) It is to be administered as follows: (i) For conjunctivitis and keratitis: Apply one drop of ointment to the affected eye(s... infectious kerato-conjunctivitis: Apply small line of ointment to the affected eye(s) once daily. Treatment...

  4. Pharmacodynamic effects of pilocarpine eye drop enhanced by decreasing its volume of instillation.

    PubMed

    Lal, A; Kataria, V; Rajpal, A; Khanna, N

    1995-07-01

    Previous studies have proved that as the volume of the drug solution instilled into the eye is decreased, the fraction of the dose absorbed into the ocular tissue is increased and the adverse drug reactions lowered. The present study investigated the acute effects of different drop volumes (10 microliters, 20 microliters, 40 microliters, and 80 microliters) of pilocarpine nitrate (2%) on pupil diameter, heart rate, and adverse reaction profile, in 12 healthy human volunteers. The drop volumes of 10 microliters and 20 microliters produced more miosis and less side effects than 40 microliters and 80 microliters drop volumes. This may be due to more penetration of the drug into the ocular tissue and less drainage into the nasolacrimal system.

  5. A new use of K-Y jelly as a gonioscopy fluid.

    PubMed Central

    Mehta, H. K.

    1984-01-01

    Methylcellulose drops varying in strength between 0.3% and 2.0% and isotonic saline are the fluids currently used for gonioscopy and posterior segment examination of the eye with diagnostic contact lenses. The author reports the use of K-Y jelly for such examinations in over 80 patients after having it used on his own eyes without any immediate or delayed ill effects. No observable difference was found between saline drops, methylcellulose drops of 0.3% and 2.0%, and K-Y jelly as regards the visibility of the anterior and posterior segments of the eyes. The more viscous fluids of 2% methylcellulose and K-Y jelly were more convenient to use, as they rarely allowed interposition of air bubbles between the cornea and the contact lens. K-Y jelly was well tolerated by all subjects. PMID:6477858

  6. Steroid eye drop treatment (difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion) is effective in reducing refractory diabetic macular edema.

    PubMed

    Nakano, Sakiko; Yamamoto, Teiko; Kirii, Eriko; Abe, Sachi; Yamashita, Hidetoshi

    2010-06-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of treatment of refractory diabetic macular edema (DME) after vitrectomy with difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% (Durezol(TM)), and to compare this treatment with sub-Tenon's injection of triamcinolone (STTA). This study enrolled patients with refractory diabetic macular edema that persisted despite pars plana vitrectomy in our clinic. In all subjects, more than 3 months had passed since prior treatment. Eleven eyes in ten subjects were treated with STTA (STTA group), and 11 eyes in seven subjects were treated with difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% (Durezol(TM), Sirion Therapeutics Inc., USA) 4 times daily for the first month and then twice daily for 2 months (eye drop group). In the eye drop group, mean VA (+/- SD) was 0.67 +/- 0.35 logMAR and mean retinal thickness was 500.6 +/- 207.7 mum at baseline. After 3 months of treatment, mean VA was 0.67 +/- 0.29 and mean retinal thickness had decreased to 341.2 +/- 194.8 mum. The mean minimum value of RT during the treatment period was 300.6 +/- 123.2 mum, and significantly lower than that at baseline (Mann-Whitney U test: P = 0.003). In the STTA group, mean VA (+/- SD) was 0.67 +/- 0.35 logMAR, and mean retinal thickness was 543.3 +/- 132.6 mum at baseline. After 3 months of treatment, mean VA was 0.49 +/- 0.67, and mean retinal thickness had decreased to 378.6 +/- 135 mum. The mean minimum value of RT during the treatment period was 349.9 +/- 113.8 mum, and significantly lower than at baseline (Mann-Whitney U test: P = 0.003). The rate of effective improvement in RT did not differ between the eye drop group (73%) and STTA group (84%) (Fisher's exact test: P = 1). Comparable improvements of retinal thickness were observed in the STTA and eye drop groups. Instillation of difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% is a safe and effective treatment that does not require surgical intervention and does not produce severe side-effects.

  7. Comparison of the safety and protective efficacy of vaccination with glycoprotein-G-deficient infectious laryngotracheitis virus delivered via eye-drop, drinking water or aerosol.

    PubMed

    Devlin, J M; Browning, G F; Gilkerson, J R; Fenton, S P; Hartley, C A

    2008-02-01

    Infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV), an alphaherpesvirus, causes respiratory disease in chickens and is commonly controlled by vaccination with conventionally attenuated virus strains. These vaccines have limitations due to residual pathogenicity and reversion to virulence. To avoid these problems and to better control disease, attention has recently turned towards developing a novel vaccine strain that lacks virulence gene(s). Glycoprotein G (gG) is a virulence factor in ILTV. A gG-deficient strain of ILTV has been shown to be less pathogenic than currently available vaccine strains following intratracheal inoculation of specific pathogen free chickens. Intratracheal inoculation of gG-deficient ILTV has also been shown to induce protection against disease following challenge with virulent virus. Intratracheal inoculation, however, is not suitable for large-scale vaccination of commercial poultry flocks. In this study, inoculation of gG-deficient ILTV via eye-drop, drinking water and aerosol were investigated. Aerosol inoculation resulted in undesirably low levels of safety and protective efficacy. Inoculation via eye-drop and drinking water was safe, and the levels of protective efficacy were comparable with intratracheal inoculation. Thus, gG-deficient ILTV appears to have potential for use in large-scale poultry vaccination programmes when administered via eye-drop or in drinking water.

  8. Ocular Surface Disease in Glaucoma: Effect of Polypharmacy and Preservatives.

    PubMed

    Ramli, Norlina; Supramaniam, Gowri; Samsudin, Amir; Juana, Azida; Zahari, Mimiwati; Choo, May May

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the prevalence of ocular surface disease (OSD) in glaucoma and nonglaucoma subjects using different clinical tests and to determine the effect of number of antiglaucoma medications and preservatives on OSD. This is a cross-sectional, case-comparison study at the Eye Clinic of the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Malaysia, between June 2012 and January 2013. Glaucoma subjects (n = 105) using topical antiglaucoma medications were compared with control subjects (n = 102) who were not on any topical medications. The presence of OSD was assessed using the tear film breakup time (TBUT) test, corneal staining, Schirmer test, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire grading. The prevalence of OSD varied from 37 to 91% in the glaucoma group, depending on the type of clinical test. More subjects in the glaucoma group had corneal staining (63% vs. 36%, p = 0.004), abnormal Schirmer tests (39% vs. 25%, p = 0.049), and moderate OSDI symptoms (17% vs. 7%, p = 0.028). The percentage with abnormal TBUT increased with higher numbers of topical medications and was high with both benzalkonium chloride-containing and preservative-free eye drops (90% and 94%, respectively, both p < 0.001). Benzalkonium chloride was associated with a nearly three times higher odds ratio of showing abnormal OSDI. Ocular surface disease is common in those using topical antiglaucoma medications. Abnormal TBUT is associated with increasing number of eye drops and benzalkonium chloride-containing eye drops, although this also occurs with the use of preservative-free eye drops.

  9. Effect of preserved and preservative-free timolol eye drops on tear film stability in healthy Africans

    PubMed Central

    Ilechie, Alex; Abokyi, Samuel; Boateng, Gifty; Koffuor, George Asumeng

    2016-01-01

    Background: Preserved versus nonpreserved formulations for ophthalmic use have been well described in the literature although not specifically in the African population where beta blockers are frequently used as the first-line therapy due to economic and availability issues. This study sought to determine the effect of preserved and preservative-free Timolol eye drops on tear film stability in healthy black Africans. Materials and Methods: Sixty healthy nondry eye subjects aged 19–25 years were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 15) and differently treated with eye drops of phosphate buffered saline (PBS), preservative-free timolol (PFT), benzalkonium chloride (BAK) only, and BAK-preserved timolol (BPT). Noninvasive tear break-up time (NITBUT) was measured using the keratometer at baseline and 30, 60, and 90 min after drop application. Results: No significant decline in NITBUT was observed following treatment with PFT and PBS. However, BAK treatment showed a positive time-dependent significant decline in NITBUT (P < 0.001) while a significant decline in the BPT-treated group was only found at 90 min (−3.52 s; P < 0.001). In comparison to the PFT-treated group, treatment with BAK and BPT showed significantly lower NITBUT (P < 0.001). Conclusion: BPT is associated with a significant decline in tear film stability in black Africans. This finding has implications in the management of glaucoma in patients with high-risk of dry eyes in this population. PMID:27226684

  10. Statistical approaches to assessing single and multiple outcome measures in dry eye therapy and diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Tomlinson, Alan; Hair, Mario; McFadyen, Angus

    2013-10-01

    Dry eye is a multifactorial disease which would require a broad spectrum of test measures in the monitoring of its treatment and diagnosis. However, studies have typically reported improvements in individual measures with treatment. Alternative approaches involve multiple, combined outcomes being assessed by different statistical analyses. In order to assess the effect of various statistical approaches to the use of single and combined test measures in dry eye, this review reanalyzed measures from two previous studies (osmolarity, evaporation, tear turnover rate, and lipid film quality). These analyses assessed the measures as single variables within groups, pre- and post-intervention with a lubricant supplement, by creating combinations of these variables and by validating these combinations with the combined sample of data from all groups of dry eye subjects. The effectiveness of single measures and combinations in diagnosis of dry eye was also considered. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Evaluation of the onset and duration of effect of azelastine eye drops (0.05%) versus placebo in patients with allergic conjunctivitis using an allergen challenge model.

    PubMed

    Friedlaender, M H; Harris, J; LaVallee, N; Russell, H; Shilstone, J

    2000-12-01

    The trial evaluated the effectiveness of the investigational antihistaminic and antiallergic compound Azelastine Eye Drops (AZE) in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis using an allergen challenge model. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, paired-eye study. Adults with a history of allergic conjunctivitis (>/=2 years) who were asymptomatic throughout the trial, had a positive skin test (cat dander, grass, or ragweed pollen within the last year), and had a positive conjunctival reaction (score 2+ or more for itching and redness in both eyes on a 0-4 scale) during two separate conjunctival provocation tests (CPT) before randomization. Eighty patients underwent a 2-week screening period (visits 1 and 2) that included a CPT during visit 1 to establish the allergen threshold dose and a second confirmatory CPT performed at visit 2. Eye symptom assessments for itching (evaluated by patient) and conjunctival redness (evaluated by physician) were performed 5 and 10 minutes after CPT using a 5-point scale (from 0 = none to 4+ = severe). Qualified patients were randomized to receive one drop of AZE (0.015 mg of azelastine hydrochloride) in one eye and one drop of placebo in the other eye 20 minutes before CPT at visit 3 (onset) and 8 or 10 hours before CPT at visit 4 (duration). Individual severity scores for itching (evaluated by patient) and conjunctival redness (evaluated by physician) for each eye at 3, 5, and 10 minutes after CPT at visits 3 and 4 using a 5-point scale (0 = none to 4+ = very severe). Each of the 80 randomized patients completed the trial. Mean itching and conjunctival redness scores at visit 3 (onset) were significantly lower (P: < 0.001) in the AZE-treated eyes than in the placebo-treated eyes. At visit 4 (duration), mean itching and conjunctival redness scores (P:

  12. Slider thickness promotes lubricity: from 2D islands to 3D clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guerra, Roberto; Tosatti, Erio; Vanossi, Andrea

    2016-05-01

    The sliding of three-dimensional clusters and two-dimensional islands adsorbed on crystal surfaces represents an important test case to understand friction. Even for the same material, monoatomic islands and thick clusters will not as a rule exhibit the same friction, but specific differences have not been explored. Through realistic molecular dynamics simulations of the static friction of gold on graphite, an experimentally relevant system, we uncover as a function of gold thickness a progressive drop of static friction from monolayer islands, that are easily pinned, towards clusters, that slide more readily. The main ingredient contributing to this thickness-induced lubricity appears to be the increased effective rigidity of the atomic contact, acting to reduce the cluster interdigitation with the substrate. A second element which plays a role is the lateral contact size, which can accommodate the solitons typical of the incommensurate interface only above a critical contact diameter, which is larger for monolayer islands than for thick clusters. The two effects concur to make clusters more lubric than islands, and large sizes more lubric than smaller ones. These conclusions are expected to be of broader applicability in diverse nanotribological systems, where the role played by static, and dynamic, friction is generally quite important.

  13. Slider thickness promotes lubricity: from 2D islands to 3D clusters.

    PubMed

    Guerra, Roberto; Tosatti, Erio; Vanossi, Andrea

    2016-06-07

    The sliding of three-dimensional clusters and two-dimensional islands adsorbed on crystal surfaces represents an important test case to understand friction. Even for the same material, monoatomic islands and thick clusters will not as a rule exhibit the same friction, but specific differences have not been explored. Through realistic molecular dynamics simulations of the static friction of gold on graphite, an experimentally relevant system, we uncover as a function of gold thickness a progressive drop of static friction from monolayer islands, that are easily pinned, towards clusters, that slide more readily. The main ingredient contributing to this thickness-induced lubricity appears to be the increased effective rigidity of the atomic contact, acting to reduce the cluster interdigitation with the substrate. A second element which plays a role is the lateral contact size, which can accommodate the solitons typical of the incommensurate interface only above a critical contact diameter, which is larger for monolayer islands than for thick clusters. The two effects concur to make clusters more lubric than islands, and large sizes more lubric than smaller ones. These conclusions are expected to be of broader applicability in diverse nanotribological systems, where the role played by static, and dynamic, friction is generally quite important.

  14. The Propagation of a Liquid Bolus Through an Elastic Tube and Airway Reopening

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Howell, Peter D.; Grotberg, James B.

    1996-01-01

    We use lubrication theory and matched asymptotic expansions to model the quasi-steady propagation of a liquid bridge through an elastic tube. In the limit of small capillary number, asymptotic expressions are found for the pressure drop across the bridge and the thickness of the liquid film left behind, as functions of the capillary number, the thickness of the liquid lining ahead of the bridge and the elastic characteristics of the tube wall. For a given precursor thickness, we find a critical propagation speed, and hence a critical imposed pressure drop, above which the bridge will eventually burst, and hence the tube will reopen.

  15. A comparative study of Bilvadi Yoga Ashchyotana and eye drops in Vataja Abhishyanda (Simple Allergic Conjunctivitis).

    PubMed

    Udani, Jayshree; Vaghela, D B; Rajagopala, Manjusha; Matalia, P D

    2012-01-01

    Simple allergic conjunctivitis is the most common form of ocular allergy (prevalence 5 - 22 %). It is a hypersensitivity reaction to specific airborne antigens. The disease Vataja Abhishyanda, which is due to vitiation of Vata Pradhana Tridosha is comparable with this condition. The management of simple allergic conjunctivitis in modern ophthalmology is very expensive and it should be followed lifelong and Ayurveda can provide better relief in such manifestation. This is the first research study on Vataja Abhishyanda. Patients were selected from the Outpatient Department (OPD), Inpatient Department (IPD), of the Shalakya Tantra Department and were randomly divided into two groups. In Group-A Bilvadi Ashchyotana and in Group-B Bilvadi eye drops were instilled for three months. Total 32 patients were registered and 27 patients completed the course of treatment. Bilvadi Ashchyotana gave better results in Toda, Sangharsha, Parushya, Kandu and Ragata as compared with Bilvadi Eye Drops in Vataja Abhishyanda.

  16. Ketorolac Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... soft contact lenses. You should not use ketorolac eye drops while wearing your soft contact lenses.use caution when driving or operating machinery because your vision may be blurred after you instill the drops.

  17. Netarsudil Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... an eye injury or develop an eye or eye lid infection while using netarsudil ophthalmic solution, ask your doctor if you can continue using netarsudil ophthalmic.If you wear contact lenses, remove them before instilling netarsudil. You may put them back in 15 minutes after you instill the drops.

  18. Fluticasone and Vilanterol Oral Inhalation

    MedlinePlus

    ... glaucoma (an eye disease), cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eyes), any condition that affects your immune system, or ... after every blister has been used (when the dose indicator reads 0), whichever ... and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child- ...

  19. Results of a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Visomitin Eye Drops in Patients with Dry Eye Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Brzheskiy, Vladimir V; Efimova, Elena L; Vorontsova, Tatiana N; Alekseev, Vladimir N; Gusarevich, Olga G; Shaidurova, Ksenia N; Ryabtseva, Alla A; Andryukhina, Olga M; Kamenskikh, Tatiana G; Sumarokova, Elena S; Miljudin, Eugeny S; Egorov, Eugeny A; Lebedev, Oleg I; Surov, Alexander V; Korol, Andrii R; Nasinnyk, Illia O; Bezditko, Pavel A; Muzhychuk, Olena P; Vygodin, Vladimir A; Yani, Elena V; Savchenko, Alla Y; Karger, Elena M; Fedorkin, Oleg N; Mironov, Alexander N; Ostapenko, Victoria; Popeko, Natalia A; Skulachev, Vladimir P; Skulachev, Maxim V

    2015-12-01

    This article presents the results of an international, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical study of Visomitin (Mitotech LLC, Moscow, Russian Federation) eye drops in patients with dry eye syndrome (DES). Visomitin is the first registered (in Russia) drug with a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (SkQ1) as the active ingredient. In this multicenter (10 sites) study of 240 subjects with DES, study drug (Visomitin or placebo) was self-administered three times daily (TID) for 6 weeks, followed by a 6-week follow-up period. Seven in-office study visits occurred every 2 weeks during both the treatment and follow-up periods. Efficacy measures included Schirmer's test, tear break-up time, fluorescein staining, meniscus height, and visual acuity. Safety measures included adverse events, slit lamp biomicroscopy, tonometry, blood pressure, and heart rate. Tolerability was also evaluated. This clinical study showed the effectiveness of Visomitin eye drops in the treatment of signs and symptoms of DES compared with placebo. The study showed that a 6-week course of TID topical instillation of Visomitin significantly improved the functional state of the cornea; Visomitin increased tear film stability and reduced corneal damage. Significant reduction of dry eye symptoms (such as dryness, burning, grittiness, and blurred vision) was also observed. Based on the results of this study, Visomitin is effective and safe for use in eye patients with DES for protection from corneal damage. Mitotech LLC.

  20. Measurement of the Retention Time of Different Ophthalmic Formulations with Ultrahigh-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography.

    PubMed

    Gagliano, Caterina; Papa, Vincenzo; Amato, Roberta; Malaguarnera, Giulia; Avitabile, Teresio

    2018-04-01

    Purpose/aim of the study: The purpose of this study was to measure the pre-corneal retention time of two marketed formulations (eye drops and eye gel) of a steroid-antibiotic fixed combination (FC) containing 0.1% dexamethasone and 0.3% netilmicin. Pre-corneal retention time was evaluated in 16 healthy subjects using an ultrahigh-resolution anterior segment spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). All subjects randomly received both formulations of the FC (Netildex, SIFI, Italy). Central tear film thickness (CTFT) was measured before instillation (time 0) and then after 1, 10, 20, 30, 40 50, 60 and 120 min. The pre-corneal retention time was calculated by plotting CTFT as a function of time. Differences between time points and groups were analyzed by Student's t-test. CTFT increased significantly after the instillation of the eye gel formulation (p < 0.001). CTFT reached its maximum value 1 min after instillation and returned to baseline after 60 min. No effect on CTFT was observed after the instillation of eye drops. The difference between the two formulations was statistically significant at time 1 min (p < 0.0001), 10 min (p < 0.001) and 20 min (p < 0.01). The FC formulated as eye gel was retained on the ocular surface longer than the corresponding eye drop solution. Consequently, the use of the eye gel might extend the interval between instillations and decrease the frequency of administration.

  1. New vehicle based on a microemulsion for topical ocular administration of dexamethasone.

    PubMed

    Fialho, Sílvia Ligório; da Silva-Cunha, Armando

    2004-12-01

    Eye drops are the most used dosage form by the ocular route, in spite of their low bioavailability. Due to their properties and numerous advantages, microemulsions are promising systems for topical ocular drug delivery. They can increase water solubility of the drug and enhance drug absorption into the eye. The present study describes the development and characterization of an oil-in-water microemulsion containing dexamethasone and the evaluation of its pharmacokinetics in rabbits after topical ocular application. The microemulsion was prepared by the titration technique. Its physico-chemical characteristics and stability were determined. The ocular irritation test and the pharmacokinetics of this system were studied in white rabbits. The developed system showed an acceptable physico-chemical behaviour and presented good stability for 3 months. The ocular irritation test used suggested that the microemulsion did not provide significant alteration to eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea and iris. This formulation showed greater penetration of dexamethasone in the anterior segment of the eye and also release of the drug for a longer time when compared with a conventional preparation. The area under the curve obtained for the microemulsion system was more than twofold higher than that of the conventional preparation (P < 0.05). The microemulsion-based dexamethasone eye drop is advantageous for ophthalmic use because it is well-tolerated in the eye and seemed to provide a higher degree of bioavailability. The developed system shows greater penetration in the eye, allowing the possibility of decreasing the number of applications of eye drops per day.

  2. Value-based medicine, comparative effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness analysis of topical cyclosporine for the treatment of dry eye syndrome.

    PubMed

    Brown, Melissa M; Brown, Gary C; Brown, Heidi C; Peet, Jonathan; Roth, Zachary

    2009-02-01

    To assess the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness (cost-utility) of a 0.05% emulsion of topical cyclosporine (Restasis; Allergan Inc, Irvine, California) for the treatment of moderate to severe dry eye syndrome that is unresponsive to conventional therapy. Data from 2 multicenter, randomized, clinical trials and Food and Drug Administration files for topical cyclosporine, 0.05%, emulsion were used in Center for Value-Based Medicine analyses. Analyses included value-based medicine as a comparative effectiveness analysis and average cost-utility analysis using societal and third-party insurer cost perspectives. Outcome measures of comparative effectiveness were quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gain and percentage of improvement in quality of life, and for cost-effectiveness were cost-utility ratio (CUR) using dollars per QALY. Topical cyclosporine, 0.05%, confers a value gain (comparative effectiveness) of 0.0319 QALY per year compared with topical lubricant therapy, a 4.3% improvement in quality of life for the average patient with moderate to severe dry eye syndrome that is unresponsive to conventional lubricant therapy. The societal perspective incremental CUR for cyclosporine over vehicle therapy is $34,953 per QALY and the societal perspective average CUR is $11,199 per QALY. The third-party-insurer incremental CUR is $37,179 per QALY, while the third-party-insurer perspective average CUR is $34,343 per QALY. Topical cyclosporine emulsion, 0.05%, confers considerable patient value and is a cost-effective therapy for moderate to severe dry eye syndrome that is unresponsive to conventional therapy.

  3. Effects of topical anaesthetics and repeated tonometry on intraocular pressure.

    PubMed

    Jóhannesson, Gauti; Hallberg, Per; Eklund, Anders; Behndig, Anders; Lindén, Christina

    2014-03-01

    To investigate the effects of repeated measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP) using Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) and applanation resonance tonometry (ART) to identify mechanisms contributing to the expected IOP reduction. A prospective, single-centre study with six healthy volunteers. Consecutive repeated series (six measurements/serie/method) were made alternately on both eyes for 1 hr with oxybuprocaine/fluorescein in the right eye and tetracaine in the left. The left eye was Pentacam(®) photographed before and repeatedly for 20 min after the IOP measurements. On a separate occasion, the same volunteers received the same amount of anaesthetic drops for 1 hr but without repeated IOP measurements. A significant IOP reduction occurred with both ART and GAT in the oxybuprocaine-treated eye, -4.4 mmHg and -3.8 mmHg, respectively and with ART in the tetracaine eye, -2.1 mmHg. There was a significant difference in IOP reduction between the oxybuprocaine and tetracaine eyes with ART. There was a significant drop in anterior chamber volume (ACV) immediately after the IOP measurements, -12.6 μl that returned to pretrial level after 2 min. After 1 hr of receiving anaesthetic eye drops (without IOP measurements), the IOP decreased significantly in the oxybuprocaine eye for both ART and GAT, -3.1 and -1.7 mmHg, respectively, but not in the tetracaine eye (p = 0.72). The IOP reduction cannot be explained solely by aqueous humor being pressed out of the anterior chamber. While significant IOP reduction occurred with both tetracaine and oxybuprocaine after repeated mechanical applanation, the IOP reduction was significantly greater with oxybuprocaine. © 2013 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2013 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

  4. Cationic Thiolated Poly(aspartamide) Polymer as a Potential Excipient for Artificial Tear Formulations

    PubMed Central

    Budai-Szűcs, Mária; Horvát, Gabriella; Szilágyi, Barnabás Áron; Gyarmati, Benjámin; Szilágyi, András; Berkó, Szilvia; Szabó-Révész, Piroska; Sandri, Giuseppina; Bonferoni, Maria Cristina; Caramella, Carla; Soós, Judit; Facskó, Andrea; Csányi, Erzsébet

    2016-01-01

    Dry eye disease is a relatively common ocular problem, which causes eye discomfort and visual disorders leading to a decrease in the quality of life. The aim of this study was to find a possible excipient for eye drop formulations, which is able to stabilize the tear film. A cationic thiolated polyaspartamide polymer, poly[(N-mercaptoethylaspartamide)-co-(N-(N′,N′-dimethylaminoethyl)aspartamide)] (ThioPASP-DME), was used as a potential vehicle. Besides satisfying the basic requirements, the chemical structure of ThioPASP-DME is similar to those of ocular mucins as it is a protein-like polymer bearing a considerable number of thiol groups. The solution of the polymer is therefore able to mimic the physiological properties of the mucins and it can interact with the mucus layer via disulphide bond formation. The resultant mucoadhesion provides a prolonged residence time and ensures protective effect for the corneal/conjunctival epithelium. ThioPASP-DME also has an antioxidant effect due to the presence of the thiol groups. The applicability of ThioPASP-DME as a potential excipient in eye drops was determined by means of ocular compatibility tests and through examinations of the interactions with the mucosal surface. The results indicate that ThioPASP-DME can serve as a potential eye drop excipient for the therapy of dry eye disease. PMID:27313866

  5. Stability of an ophthalmic formulation of polyhexamethylene biguanide in gamma-sterilized and ethylene oxide sterilized low density polyethylene multidose eyedroppers

    PubMed Central

    Wasiak, Mathieu; Jouannet, Mireille; Sautou, Valérie

    2018-01-01

    Background Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) eye drops are a frequently used medication to treat Acanthamoeba keratitis. In the absence of marketed PHMB eye drops, pharmacy-compounding units are needed to prepare this much needed treatment, but the lack of validated PHMB stability data severely limits their conservation by imposing short expiration dates after preparation. In this study we aim to assess the physicochemical and microbiological stability of a 0.2 mg/mL PHMB eye drop formulation stored in two kinds of polyethylene bottles at two different temperatures. Methods A liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector stability-indicating method was validated to quantify PHMB, using a cyanopropyl bonded phase (Agilent Zorbax Eclipse XDB-CN column 4.6 × 75 mm with particle size of 3.5 μm) and isocratic elution consisting of acetonitrile/deionized water (3/97 v/v) at a flow rate of 1.3 mL/min. PHMB eye drops stability was assessed for 90 days of storage at 5 and 25 °C in ethylene oxide sterilized low density polyethylene (EOS-LDPE) and gamma sterilized low density polyethylene (GS-LDPE) bottles. The following analyses were performed: visual inspection, PHMB quantification and breakdown products (BPs) screening, osmolality and pH measurements, and sterility assessment. PHMB quantification and BP screening was also performed on the drops emitted from the multidose eyedroppers to simulate in-use condition. Results The analytical method developed meets all the qualitative and quantitative criteria for validation with an acceptable accuracy and good linearity, and is stability indicating. During 90 days of storage, no significant decrease of PHMB concentration was found compared to initial concentration in all stored PHMB eye drops. However, BP were found at day 30 and at day 90 of monitoring in both kind of bottles, stored at 5 and 25 °C, respectively. Although no significant variation of osmolality was found and sterility was maintained during 90 days of monitoring, a significant decrease of pH in GS-LDPE PHMB eye drops was noticed reaching 4 and 4.6 at 25 °C and 5 °C respectively, compared to initial pH of 6.16. Discussion Although no significant decrease in PHMB concentration was found during 90 days of monitoring in all conditions, the appearance of BPs and their unknown toxicities let us believe that 0.2 mg/mL PHMB solution should be conserved for no longer than 60 days in EOS-LDPE bottles at 25 °C. PMID:29682408

  6. [Bioavailability of antiglaucoma drugs].

    PubMed

    Demailly, P

    2000-05-01

    The biodisponibility of antiglaucoma drugs, generally delivered in an aqueous eye-drop solution depends on their capacity to cross the cornea. The structure of the cornea forms a barrier to strongly lipophilic substances and the continuous renewal of the lacrimal film creates a major obstacle, preventing active substances from penetrating the eye. Active substances must thus be delivered in highly concentrated solutions. The systemic bioavailability of antiglaucoma drugs taken orally, for example beta-blockers, is well known, their behavior after eye-drop administration remains poorly elucidated and highly dependent on individual susceptibility. We reviewed the literature on pilocarpine, beta-blockers, adrenergic drugs (dipivalyl-epinephrine, apraclonidine, brimonidine), carbon anhydrase inhibitors (acetazolamide, dorzolamide).

  7. A highly soluble matrix metalloproteinase-9 inhibitor for potential treatment of dry eye syndrome.

    PubMed

    Mori, Mattia; De Lorenzo, Emanuele; Torre, Eugenio; Fragai, Marco; Nativi, Cristina; Luchinat, Claudio; Arcangeli, Annarosa

    2012-11-01

    Dry eye syndrome (DES) or keratoconjunctivitis sicca is an eye disease caused by the chronic lack of lubrication and moisture of the eye. The pathogenesis of DES involves the over-expression and over-activity of corneal Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9). We propose herein a new, non-symptomatic approach for the treatment of DES based on the inhibition of MMP-9 by a new highly soluble molecule, designed as PES_103 that has been shown to inhibit MMP-9 both in vitro and in vivo. The efficacy of PES_103 in vivo and the potential benefits of this treatment in restoring tear production were studied in this work using an animal model of reduced lacrimation. PES_103 did not show any significant corneal toxicity. © 2012 The Authors Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology © 2012 Nordic Pharmacological Society.

  8. The effects of 3% diquafosol sodium application on the tear functions and ocular surface of the Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase-1 (Sod1)-knockout mice.

    PubMed

    Kojima, Takashi; Dogru, Murat; Ibrahim, Osama M; Nagata, Taeko; Higa, Kazunari; Shimizu, Takahiko; Shirasawa, Takuji; Satake, Yoshiyuki; Shimazaki, Seika; Shimazaki, Jun; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the role of a water and mucin secretagogue (3% diquafosol sodium eye drops) on the tear function and conjunctival ocular surface changes in Sod1(-/-) in comparison to the wild-type (WT) mice. Fourteen eyes of 7 Sod1(-/-) male mice with C57BL/background and 14 eyes of 7 C57BL6 strain wild-type male mice were examined at 40 weeks in this study. All mice had application of 3% diquafosol ophthalmic solution six times a day for 2 weeks. Tear film stability and corneal epithelial damage was evaluated by fluorescein and Rose Bengal stainings. Anterior segment photography was performed before and after eye drop instillations. Aqueous tear quantity was measured with phenol red-impregnated cotton threads without anesthesia. Animals were sacrificed at 42 weeks after diquafosol treatment and the whole globe specimens were subjected to periodic acid Schiff staining. Goblet cell density was quantified by J Image software. Quantitative real-time PCR for conjunctival muc 5AC messenger RNA expression was also performed. Sod1(-/-) mice had significantly higher fluorescein staining scores compared to the WT mice before eye drop instillation. The mean tear film breakup time, Rose Bengal staining scores, and muc5 messenger RNA expression improved significantly with diquafosol treatment in both the WT and the knockout mice. The mean fluorescein staining score and aqueous tear quantity significantly improved in the Sod1(-/-) mice with treatment. A notable and consistent increase in goblet cells and decrease in inflammatory cell infiltrates could be confirmed in all specimens after 2 weeks of diquafosol eye drop application. Three percent diquafosol ophthalmic solution appears to be effective in the treatment of ocular surface disease in this age-related dry eye disease mouse model.

  9. Efficacy and safety of an extemporaneous preparation of 2% ganciclovir eye drops in CMV anterior uveitis

    PubMed Central

    Keorochana, Narumon; Choontanom, Raveewan

    2017-01-01

    Background To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an extemporaneous preparation of 2% ganciclovir topical eye drops in cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior uveitis because many studies have confirmed the benefits of topical ganciclovir in varying concentrations. Design The study employed a retrospective cohort design. Methods This study enrolled 11 eyes (11 patients) with CMV anterior uveitis. All cases were proved by positive PCR for CMV DNA from aqueous tapping and received topical 2% ganciclovir, applied every 2 hours daily as induction therapy then tapered off and stopped based on clinical response. Outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, anterior chamber cell, coin-shaped and other keratic precipitates, intraocular pressure (IOP), the number of antiglaucoma drugs used, the frequency of steroid eye drops used daily and side effects over a 12-month follow-up period. Side effects after applying topical 2% ganciclovir were recorded using questionnaires and eye examination. Results Mean age was 49.0±17.8 years. IOP, number of antiglaucoma drugs used and keratic precipitates decreased significantly at first week (p<0.013, p<0.024 and p<0.031, respectively) followed by decreased anterior chamber cells and significantly reduced frequency of applying steroid eye drops at 4 weeks (p<0.034 and p<0.017, respectively). Visual acuity significantly improved at 5 months continuously. All clinical improvement was maintained to 12 months, and keratic precipitates were eliminated in 90% of all cases. However, in 27% of discontinued medicine cases, inflammation was recurrent. No significance was observed in all factors between recurrent and non-recurrent groups. The most common side effect was eye irritation (27.27%). No severe complications from the medicine was detected. Conclusion Extemporaneous preparation topical 2% ganciclovir was effective and safely controlled CMV anterior uveitis. The medication is non-invasive, economical and convenient for hospitals where commercial topical ganciclovir is unavailable. PMID:29354718

  10. Efficacy and safety of an extemporaneous preparation of 2% ganciclovir eye drops in CMV anterior uveitis.

    PubMed

    Keorochana, Narumon; Choontanom, Raveewan

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an extemporaneous preparation of 2% ganciclovir topical eye drops in cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior uveitis because many studies have confirmed the benefits of topical ganciclovir in varying concentrations. The study employed a retrospective cohort design. This study enrolled 11 eyes (11 patients) with CMV anterior uveitis. All cases were proved by positive PCR for CMV DNA from aqueous tapping and received topical 2% ganciclovir, applied every 2 hours daily as induction therapy then tapered off and stopped based on clinical response. Outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, anterior chamber cell, coin-shaped and other keratic precipitates, intraocular pressure (IOP), the number of antiglaucoma drugs used, the frequency of steroid eye drops used daily and side effects over a 12-month follow-up period. Side effects after applying topical 2% ganciclovir were recorded using questionnaires and eye examination. Mean age was 49.0±17.8 years. IOP, number of antiglaucoma drugs used and keratic precipitates decreased significantly at first week (p<0.013, p<0.024 and p<0.031, respectively) followed by decreased anterior chamber cells and significantly reduced frequency of applying steroid eye drops at 4 weeks (p<0.034 and p<0.017, respectively). Visual acuity significantly improved at 5 months continuously. All clinical improvement was maintained to 12 months, and keratic precipitates were eliminated in 90% of all cases. However, in 27% of discontinued medicine cases, inflammation was recurrent. No significance was observed in all factors between recurrent and non-recurrent groups. The most common side effect was eye irritation (27.27%). No severe complications from the medicine was detected. Extemporaneous preparation topical 2% ganciclovir was effective and safely controlled CMV anterior uveitis. The medication is non-invasive, economical and convenient for hospitals where commercial topical ganciclovir is unavailable.

  11. 21 CFR 524.1600b - Nystatin, neomycin, thiostrepton, and triamcinolone ophthalmic ointment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... chapter. (c) Conditions of use—(1) Dogs and cats—(i) Amount. Apply 1 drop of ointment to the affected eye... line of ointment to the affected eye(s) once daily. Treatment may be continued for up to 2 weeks if...

  12. Topically applied 1% voriconazole induces dysplastic changes on the ocular surface: animal study.

    PubMed

    Arikan, Gul; Karatas, Ezgi; Lebe, Banu; Ayhan, Ziya; Utine, Canan Asli; Kutsoylu, Oya Eren; Gunenc, Uzeyir; Yilmaz, Osman

    2018-04-26

    To identify the risk of inducing ocular surface dysplasia following topical administration of 1% voriconazole eye drop. Fourteen noninflamed healthy eyes of 14 white adult New Zealand rabbits were included in the study. The rabbits were randomly divided into two groups comprised of 7 rabbits each. Group 1 received topical 1% voriconazole and Group 2 received topical saline as the control group. In all animals, right eye was selected for the study. In Group 1 (Voriconazole Group), single drop of voriconazole was instilled every 10 min consecutively for 17 times a day for 60 days. In Group 2 (Control Group), single drop of saline was instilled every 10 min consecutively for 17 times a day for 60 days. At two months, animals were sacrificed and study eyes were enucleated with the eyelids. The specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and histopathologic changes in cornea, bulbar and palpebral conjunctiva were evaluated under light microscope. There were no macroscopically visible lesions on the ocular surface of any rabbits. Histopathological evaluation showed mild to moderate dysplasia localized mainly in the limbus and extending to the adjacent cornea and bulbar conjunctiva in all rabbits in Voriconazole Group. Severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ was not observed. In the Control Group, dysplasia was not observed, at all. This animal study provides a possible relationship between topically administered 1% voriconazole and ocular surface dysplasia. We recommend ophthalmologists to be aware of the risk of ocular surface dysplasia in patients received voriconazole eye drop.

  13. Topical dobesilate eye drops for ophthalmic primary pterygium

    PubMed Central

    Cuevas, Pedro; Outeiriño, Luis A; Angulo, Javier; Giménez-Gallego, Guillermo

    2012-01-01

    Selective inhibition of fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor signalling pathways is effective in causing regression of pterygia. Prompt regression of fibrovascular mass and conjunctival angiogenesis was documented 2 weeks after topical administration of dobesilate eye drops twice daily. At 3-month follow-up, no recurrence was seen and no ocular irritation and burning were noted. The authors believe that this is the first known successful use of topical dobesilate in primary pterygium. PMID:22605609

  14. Topical anesthetic abuse keratitis secondary to floppy eyelid syndrome.

    PubMed

    Goldich, Yakov; Zadok, David; Avni, Isaac; Hartstein, Morris

    2011-01-01

    To report the diagnosis and management of a patient with chronic ophthalmic topical anesthetic abuse and floppy eyelid syndrome. We describe the case of a 47-year-old man suffering from persistent bilateral ocular irritation and chronic corneal erosions. The patient was hospitalized in our ophthalmology department and underwent thorough ophthalmic, systemic, and psychiatric evaluation. Chronic topical anesthetic abuse was discovered. Removal of abused drops and copious lubricating treatment lead to partial improvement further permitting diagnosis of floppy eyelid syndrome. Definitive surgical treatment by horizontal eyelid tightening combined with continuous lubrication resulted in remission of symptoms. Uncommon conditions may coexist in 1 patient. In this case, floppy eyelid syndrome resulted in topical anesthetic abuse. Ophthalmologists should keep both these conditions in mind when treating patients with otherwise unexplained chronic persistent corneal erosions.

  15. A pilot study: the efficacy of virgin coconut oil as ocular rewetting agent on rabbit eyes.

    PubMed

    Mutalib, Haliza Abdul; Kaur, Sharanjeet; Ghazali, Ahmad Rohi; Chinn Hooi, Ng; Safie, Nor Hasanah

    2015-01-01

    Purpose. An open-label pilot study of virgin coconut oil (VCO) was conducted to determine the safety of the agent as ocular rewetting eye drops on rabbits. Methods. Efficacy of the VCO was assessed by measuring NIBUT, anterior eye assessment, corneal staining, pH, and Schirmer value before instillation and at 30 min, 60 min, and two weeks after instillation. Friedman test was used to analyse any changes in all the measurable variables over the period of time. Results. Only conjunctival redness with instillation of saline agent showed significant difference over the period of time (P < 0.05). However, further statistical analysis had shown no significant difference at 30 min, 60 min, and two weeks compared to initial measurement (P > 0.05). There were no changes in the NIBUT, limbal redness, palpebral conjunctiva redness, corneal staining, pH, and Schirmer value over the period of time for each agent (P > 0.05). Conclusion. VCO acts as safe rewetting eye drops as it has shown no significant difference in the measurable parameter compared to commercial brand eye drops and saline. These study data suggest that VCO is safe to be used as ocular rewetting agent on human being.

  16. A Pilot Study: The Efficacy of Virgin Coconut Oil as Ocular Rewetting Agent on Rabbit Eyes

    PubMed Central

    Mutalib, Haliza Abdul; Kaur, Sharanjeet; Ghazali, Ahmad Rohi; Chinn Hooi, Ng; Safie, Nor Hasanah

    2015-01-01

    Purpose. An open-label pilot study of virgin coconut oil (VCO) was conducted to determine the safety of the agent as ocular rewetting eye drops on rabbits. Methods. Efficacy of the VCO was assessed by measuring NIBUT, anterior eye assessment, corneal staining, pH, and Schirmer value before instillation and at 30 min, 60 min, and two weeks after instillation. Friedman test was used to analyse any changes in all the measurable variables over the period of time. Results. Only conjunctival redness with instillation of saline agent showed significant difference over the period of time (P < 0.05). However, further statistical analysis had shown no significant difference at 30 min, 60 min, and two weeks compared to initial measurement (P > 0.05). There were no changes in the NIBUT, limbal redness, palpebral conjunctiva redness, corneal staining, pH, and Schirmer value over the period of time for each agent (P > 0.05). Conclusion. VCO acts as safe rewetting eye drops as it has shown no significant difference in the measurable parameter compared to commercial brand eye drops and saline. These study data suggest that VCO is safe to be used as ocular rewetting agent on human being. PMID:25802534

  17. Increasing efficacy and reducing systemic absorption of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic gels in rabbits.

    PubMed

    Pang, Xiaochen; Li, Jiawei; Pi, Jiaxin; Qi, Dongli; Guo, Pan; Li, Nan; Wu, Yumei; Liu, Zhidong

    2018-03-01

    Systemic absorption of ocularly administered Brimonidine Tartrate has been reported to give rise to several side-effects. Hence, it has become crucial to develop a delivery system that could increase efficacy and reduce systemic absorption. Therefore, the present work aims to develop Brimonidine Tartrate gels with different concentrations (0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% w/v, respectively) using Carbopol 974 P and HPMC E4M, and compare the therapeutic efficacy and systemic absorption with that of eye drop (0.2%, w/v) by UPLC-MS/MS. The result of histological analysis did not show any morphological or structural changes after the administration of formulations. In vitro residence time studies demonstrated that the gels exhibited a better precorneal residence time as compared with the eye drop. The gels with lower concentrations of the drug (0.05% and 0.1%, w/v) could significantly decrease intraocular pressure (IOP) in both normal and water-loaded rabbits as compared to the eye drop. Finally, the values of the ratio of AUC (0→∞) in comparison to eye drop showed the gels with lower concentrations of Brimonidine Tartrate could decrease the systemic absorption. From the result, it can be concluded the 0.1% ophthalmic gel has a potential to improve therapeutic efficacy and reduce the potential toxicity caused by systemic absorption.

  18. Atopic keratoconjunctivitis with corneal ulcer. Case report.

    PubMed

    Zemba, Mihail; Burcea, Marian; Camburu, Georgiana

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To report the case of a 14-year-old male patient, with bilateral atopic keratoconjunctivitis with corneal ulcer. Methods: The patient complained of bilateral red, itchy eyes, decreased vision, photophobia, difficulty opening the eyelids upon awakening, palpebral edema, excessive tearing, along with yellowish mucous discharge. He had a two-year history of chronic blepharitis and recurrent episodes of conjunctivitis that were treated with Tobramycin and corticosteroid eye drops over the years. The patient's past medical history was significant for atopic dermatitis (AD) and he had a family history for atopy. At the eye exam: his best-corrected visual acuity at the initial presentation was 0.2 in the right eye and 1.0 in the left eye. The following elements were found upon the slit lamp biomicroscopy: Eyelids - +4 palpebral edema (pseudoptosis), Dennie-Morgan fold and Herthoge's sign were both present, tylosis; Conjunctiva - hyperaemia, cobblestone appearance of the tarsal papillae in both eyes, +2 chemosis; Cornea - corneal edema with a 8 mm × 4 mm epithelial defect in the inferior part of the cornea, covered partially by the lied, that stained positive with fluorescein dyes. Using the Evaluation Signs Severity for Allergic Ocular Diseases, a diagnosis of bilateral atopic keratoconjunctivitis with a grade 3 status for the right eye and a grade 2 status, was made. It was decided that he should be administered Olopatadine hydrochloride and Sodium cromoglicate eye drops, along with Moxifloxacin and steroid eye drops. The microbiological exam tested positive for staphylococcus aureus, and, based on the sensitivity pattern, Chloramphenicol eye drops had to be added to the treatment. After 2 weeks, his symptoms diminished, pain was significantly relieved and inflammation was markedly reduced, but the corneal ulcer persisted. In order to prevent corneal perforations, amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) was used to promote epithelialization. Results: A month later, the epithelial defect healed smoothly in an underlying vascular stromal scar and the visual acuity improved to 0.4 RE. Conclusions: This case demonstrated the role of patient history and close clinical obser-vation in the diagnosis of AKC. As this case showed, the use of topic medication along with amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) was successful in the treatment of atopic keratoconjunctivitis and secondary staphylococcal aureus keratitis.

  19. Coping with dry eyes: a qualitative approach.

    PubMed

    Yeo, Sharon; Tong, Louis

    2018-01-16

    Dry eye is a common problem that affects many people worldwide, reducing quality of life and impacting daily activities. A qualitative approach often used in medicine and other disciplines is used to evaluate how people with dry eye cope with this impact. Six focus group sessions were conducted at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), premises of an eye research institute. These focus groups consist of a spectrum of dry eye sufferers (30 women, 8 men, aged 61 ± 11.8 years). Standard methods of coding followed by determination of themes were adhered to. Where classification was difficult, consensus was made between 3 assessors. Audio-recorded transcripts were coded in 10 themes by 3 assessors independently. Four of the themes involved traditional measures such as lid warming, cleansing, lubrication and oral dietary supplements. The other themes discovered were Traditional Chinese Medicine, modification of eye-care habits (e.g. wearing sunglasses), environmental humidity, lifestyle (e.g. sleeping habits), psychological attitude, and lastly sharing and communication. Holistic coping strategies were found to be prominent in dry eye sufferers from these focus groups, and people tend to find personalised ways of coping with the impact of dry eye on daily living.

  20. The preservative polyquaternium-1 increases cytoxicity and NF-kappaB linked inflammation in human corneal epithelial cells

    PubMed Central

    Paimela, Tuomas; Ryhänen, Tuomas; Kauppinen, Anu; Marttila, Liisa; Salminen, Antero

    2012-01-01

    Purpose In numerous clinical and experimental studies, preservatives present in eye drops have had detrimental effects on ocular epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to compare the cytotoxic and inflammatory effects of the preservative polyquaternium-1 (PQ-1) containing Travatan (travoprost 0.004%) and Systane Ultra eye drops with benzalkonium chloride (BAK) alone or BAK-preserved Xalatan (0.005% latanoprost) eye drops in HCE-2 human corneal epithelial cell culture. Methods HCE-2 cells were exposed to the commercial eye drops Travatan, Systane Ultra, Xalatan, and the preservative BAK. Cell viability was determined using colorimetric MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyldiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and by release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Induction of apoptosis was measured with a using a colorimetric caspase-3 assay kit. DNA binding of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) transcription factor, and productions of the proinflammatory cytokines, interleukins IL-6 and IL-8, were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results Cell viability, as measured by the MTT assay, declined by up to 50% after exposure to Travatan or Systane Ultra solutions which contain 0.001% PQ-1. BAK at 0.02% rather than at 0.001% concentration evoked total cell death signs on HCE-2 cells. In addition, cell membrane permeability, as measured by LDH release, was elevated by sixfold with Travatan and by a maximum threefold with Systane Ultra. Interestingly, Travatan and Systane Ultra activated NF-κB and elevated the secretion of inflammation markers IL-6 by 3 to eightfold and IL-8 by 1.5 to 3.5 fold, respectively, as analyzed with ELISA. Conclusions Eye drops containing PQ-1 evoke cytotoxicity and enhance the NF-κB driven inflammation reaction in cultured HCE-2 cells. Our results indicate that these harmful effects of ocular solutions preserved with PQ-1 should be further evaluated in vitro and in vivo. PMID:22605930

  1. Stability of serum eye drops after storage of 6 months.

    PubMed

    Fischer, Kai R; Opitz, Andreas; Böeck, Markus; Geerling, Gerd

    2012-11-01

    Serum eye drops are used for the treatment of ocular surface disease (eg, Sicca syndrome). The objective of this experimental study was to investigate whether they maintain their wound-healing potency after a prolonged storage of 6 months at -20 °C and to find a parameter that can serve as a quality and stability indicator. After obtaining whole blood from 10 volunteers and preparing 100% (AS100), 50% (AS50), and 20% (AS20) serum eye drops, epitheliotrophic factors including EGF, fibronectin, vitamins A and E, albumin, and immunoglobulin A were quantified before and after storage for 7 days at 6 °C or 3 and 6 months at -20 °C. Human corneal epithelial (HCE) cell lines were used to investigate proliferation, migration, and overall wound healing potency of the cells in response to different serum preparations. The proliferation, migration, and wound healing of HCE cells were measured after incubation with different serum eye drop concentrations and after different storage conditions. The concentration of epidermal growth factor, fibronectin, vitamins A and E, immunoglobulin A, and albumin showed no significant reduction over the test period. Proliferation, migration, and wound healing of HCE cells was significantly better after incubation with undiluted serum in comparison with diluted serum. No significant loss of cytokine concentration, wound healing, and proliferation effect in HCE culture of AS100, AS50, and AS20 could be detected over the 6 months of storage. The concentration of a spectrum of cytokines involved in corneal epithelial wound healing and the epitheliothrophic effect of serum are not significantly changed after a prolonged storage of 6 months at -20 °C. Hence, it seems justifiable to provide patients with appropriate freezer capacity with a 6-month supply of autologous serum eye drops. Albumin--which is known to be relevant for ocular surface health--could serve as a cost-effective parameter for stability controls.

  2. Effect of using a combination of lid wipes, eye drops, and omega-3 supplements on meibomian gland functionality in patients with lipid deficient/evaporative dry eye.

    PubMed

    Korb, Donald R; Blackie, Caroline A; Finnemore, Victor M; Douglass, Teresa

    2015-04-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of using a combination treatment approach consisting of lipid emulsion eye drops, eyelid cleansing wipes, and omega-3 vitamin supplements compared with warm compresses in improving meibomian gland functionality in patients with lipid-deficient/evaporative dry eye disease (LDDE). This single-center, open-label, investigator-masked, randomized study enrolled patients aged ≥18 years, clinically diagnosed with LDDE defined as having ≤6 functional meibomian glands [meibomian gland yielding liquid secretion (MGYLS)] and positive for dry eye symptoms at screening. Patients were randomized to receive either the combination treatment (lipid emulsion eye drops, omega-3 supplements, and lid hygiene with eyelid wipes) or to apply warm, wet compresses once daily, 8 minutes per day, for 3 months. Meibomian gland functionality (number of MGYLS; primary outcome) and patient-reported subjective assessments (SPEED and OSDI questionnaires; secondary outcomes) were evaluated. Adverse events (AEs) and visual acuity were assessed as safety endpoints. Mean patient age was 41.7 years (n = 26; n = 13 per group). Mean ± SD number of MGYLS was not statistically significantly different between groups at baseline (combination treatment, 3.5 ± 1.5; warm compresses, 4.2 ± 1.4, P > 0.5), and was significantly greater with combination treatment versus warm compresses after 3 months of treatment (9.3 ± 2.7 vs. 4.7 ± 2.3; P = 0.006). Dry eye symptoms were significantly improved in both groups at all follow-up visits. Two AEs unrelated to treatment were reported; the BCVA was unchanged from baseline in both groups. The combination treatment regimen resulted in significant improvement in meibomian gland functionality and dry eye symptoms. No safety issues were observed.

  3. α5β1-Integrin inhibitor (CLT-28643) effective in rabbit trabeculectomy model.

    PubMed

    Schultheiss, Maximilian; Schnichels, Sven; Konrad, Eva-Maria; Bartz-Schmidt, Karl U; Zahn, Grit; Caldirola, Patrizia; Fsadni, Mario G; Caram-Lelham, Ninus; Spitzer, Martin S

    2017-02-01

    Glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS) fails due to fibrosis. The α5β1-integrin plays a pivotal role in fibrosis, angiogenesis and inflammation. This is the first experiment evaluating the prevention of fibrosis after GFS by a specific small molecule α5β1-integrin inhibitor (CLT-28643). Twenty-four rabbits received trabeculectomy on their right eyes. The rabbits were randomized into three groups of eight eyes each. CLT-28643 was given as a single subconjunctival injection intraoperatively to two of the right eye groups followed by postoperative vehicle eye drops (CLT+ group) or CLT-28643 eye drops 4 times daily (CLT++ group). A third group received mitomycin-C (MMC) intraoperatively (sponge application, 0.04%, 2 min) followed by vehicle eye drops postoperatively. The control-surgery group consisted of 12 left eyes having trabeculectomy with no adjunctive therapy. The remaining 12 left eyes formed the untreated group. Clinical assessment included intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, slit-lamp examination (including bleb survival and morphology) and bleb photography. The rabbits were killed after four weeks for histology. Both CLT-28643-treated groups showed significantly prolonged bleb survival, and better bleb score compared to the control-surgery group. At end of the study, most functioning blebs were found in the MMC group (MMC group 75%; CLT+ group 12.5%, CLT++ group 25%; CLT+ group 12.5%, control-surgery group 0%). CLT-28643 was non-toxic and well tolerated. This rabbit GFS study indicates that inhibition of α5β1-integrin by the novel α5β1-integrin antagonist CLT-28643 significantly improved the outcome. The effect of a single intro-operative application of CLT-28643 seems to be inferior to 0.04% MMC. © 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Comparative randomised active drug controlled clinical trial of a herbal eye drop in computer vision syndrome.

    PubMed

    Chatterjee, Pranab Kr; Bairagi, Debasis; Roy, Sudipta; Majumder, Nilay Kr; Paul, Ratish Ch; Bagchi, Sunil Ch

    2005-07-01

    A comparative double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of a herbal eye drop (itone) was conducted to find out its efficacy and safety in 120 patients with computer vision syndrome. Patients using computers for more than 3 hours continuously per day having symptoms of watering, redness, asthenia, irritation, foreign body sensation and signs of conjunctival hyperaemia, corneal filaments and mucus were studied. One hundred and twenty patients were randomly given either placebo, tears substitute (tears plus) or itone in identical vials with specific code number and were instructed to put one drop four times daily for 6 weeks. Subjective and objective assessments were done at bi-weekly intervals. In computer vision syndrome both subjective and objective improvements were noticed with itone drops. Itone drop was found significantly better than placebo (p<0.01) and almost identical results were observed with tears plus (difference was not statistically significant). Itone is considered to be a useful drug in computer vision syndrome.

  5. Fault lubrication during earthquakes.

    PubMed

    Di Toro, G; Han, R; Hirose, T; De Paola, N; Nielsen, S; Mizoguchi, K; Ferri, F; Cocco, M; Shimamoto, T

    2011-03-24

    The determination of rock friction at seismic slip rates (about 1 m s(-1)) is of paramount importance in earthquake mechanics, as fault friction controls the stress drop, the mechanical work and the frictional heat generated during slip. Given the difficulty in determining friction by seismological methods, elucidating constraints are derived from experimental studies. Here we review a large set of published and unpublished experiments (∼300) performed in rotary shear apparatus at slip rates of 0.1-2.6 m s(-1). The experiments indicate a significant decrease in friction (of up to one order of magnitude), which we term fault lubrication, both for cohesive (silicate-built, quartz-built and carbonate-built) rocks and non-cohesive rocks (clay-rich, anhydrite, gypsum and dolomite gouges) typical of crustal seismogenic sources. The available mechanical work and the associated temperature rise in the slipping zone trigger a number of physicochemical processes (gelification, decarbonation and dehydration reactions, melting and so on) whose products are responsible for fault lubrication. The similarity between (1) experimental and natural fault products and (2) mechanical work measures resulting from these laboratory experiments and seismological estimates suggests that it is reasonable to extrapolate experimental data to conditions typical of earthquake nucleation depths (7-15 km). It seems that faults are lubricated during earthquakes, irrespective of the fault rock composition and of the specific weakening mechanism involved.

  6. [Transplantation of autologous labial salivary glands for severe dry eye].

    PubMed

    Luo, Shun-rong; Zou, Liu-he; Yan, Chao; Pan, Zhi-qiang; Liu, Jing-ming; Chen, Zhi-yuan; Yin, Wei-hong

    2013-01-01

    Autologous labial salivary gland transplantation has been a promising alternative for the treatment of severe dry eye. In this article, we describe the results of the ocular surface changes after labial salivary gland transplantation and investigate the feasibility of this treatment. The results of this technique in 8 patients (eyes) who suffered from severe dry eye were prospectively analyzed after surgery (follow-up of 6 months). The best-corrected visual acuity, Schirmer I test, degree of discomfort, usage of pharmaceutical tear substitutes, tear interferometry and slit lamp examination were investigated at different time before and after surgery. All grafts remained viable and the survival rate is 100%. All patients showed significant increase in the Schirmer's test and they expressed great improvement in their ocular discomfort. The use of artificial tear substitutes was reduced because of the increased ocular surface lubrication. Although the authors' long-term experience still is limited, we believe that the procedure is a promising alternative approach for severe dry eye.

  7. A comparative study of Bilvadi Yoga Ashchyotana and eye drops in Vataja Abhishyanda (Simple Allergic Conjunctivitis)

    PubMed Central

    Udani, Jayshree; Vaghela, D. B.; Rajagopala, Manjusha; Matalia, P. D.

    2012-01-01

    Simple allergic conjunctivitis is the most common form of ocular allergy (prevalence 5 – 22 %). It is a hypersensitivity reaction to specific airborne antigens. The disease Vataja Abhishyanda, which is due to vitiation of Vata Pradhana Tridosha is comparable with this condition. The management of simple allergic conjunctivitis in modern ophthalmology is very expensive and it should be followed lifelong and Ayurveda can provide better relief in such manifestation. This is the first research study on Vataja Abhishyanda. Patients were selected from the Outpatient Department (OPD), Inpatient Department (IPD), of the Shalakya Tantra Department and were randomly divided into two groups. In Group-A Bilvadi Ashchyotana and in Group-B Bilvadi eye drops were instilled for three months. Total 32 patients were registered and 27 patients completed the course of treatment. Bilvadi Ashchyotana gave better results in Toda, Sangharsha, Parushya, Kandu and Ragata as compared with Bilvadi Eye Drops in Vataja Abhishyanda. PMID:23049192

  8. The Eye Drop Preservative Benzalkonium Chloride Potently Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Preferentially Affects LHON Mutant Cells.

    PubMed

    Datta, Sandipan; Baudouin, Christophe; Brignole-Baudouin, Francoise; Denoyer, Alexandre; Cortopassi, Gino A

    2017-04-01

    Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) is the most commonly used eye drop preservative. Benzalkonium chloride has been associated with toxic effects such as "dry eye" and trabecular meshwork degeneration, but the underlying biochemical mechanism of ocular toxicity by BAK is unclear. In this study, we propose a mechanistic basis for BAK's adverse effects. Mitochondrial O2 consumption rates of human corneal epithelial primary cells (HCEP), osteosarcoma cybrid cells carrying healthy (control) or Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) mutant mtDNA [11778(G>A)], were measured before and after acute treatment with BAK. Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and cell viability were also measured in the BAK-treated control: LHON mutant and human-derived trabecular meshwork cells (HTM3). Benzalkonium chloride inhibited mitochondrial ATP (IC50, 5.3 μM) and O2 consumption (IC50, 10.9 μM) in a concentration-dependent manner, by directly targeting mitochondrial complex I. At its pharmaceutical concentrations (107-667 μM), BAK inhibited mitochondrial function >90%. In addition, BAK elicited concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to cybrid cells (IC50, 22.8 μM) and induced apoptosis in HTM3 cells at similar concentrations. Furthermore, we show that BAK directly inhibits mitochondrial O2 consumption in HCEP cells (IC50, 3.8 μM) at 50-fold lower concentrations than used in eye drops, and that cells bearing mitochondrial blindness (LHON) mutations are further sensitized to BAK's mitotoxic effect. Benzalkonium chloride inhibits mitochondria of human corneal epithelial cells and cells bearing LHON mutations at pharmacologically relevant concentrations, and we suggest this is the basis of BAK's ocular toxicity. Prescribing BAK-containing eye drops should be avoided in patients with mitochondrial deficiency, including LHON patients, LHON carriers, and possibly primary open-angle glaucoma patients.

  9. Changes in central corneal thickness values after instillation of oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4%.

    PubMed

    Ogbuehi, Kelechi C; Chijuka, John C; Osuagwu, Uchechukwu L

    2012-10-01

    To assess the variation in central corneal thickness (CCT) following the instillation of oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (0.4%), in normal subjects. This was a randomized, prospective study of CCT measurements (before and after the instillation of topical anaesthesia) obtained with the Topcon SP-3000P noncontact specular microscope, in 60 eyes of thirty subjects. The subjects' mean age was 20±1 years (mean±SD). In each subject, one eye was treated with one drop of oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (HCl) and the fellow eye with one drop of normal saline (control). The SP-3000P CCT readings were first obtained before instillation (baseline) and monitored every 30 s after instillation of each eye drop for a period of 10 min. The mean baseline CCT for oxybuprocaine was 526±23 μm. Ten minutes after, it was 526±24 μm. In the control, the mean CCT was 526±27 μm, 10 min after it was 526±28 μm. The mean variation in CCT measurement was -0.7±3.1 (5.5 to -6.8 μm, 95% CI) for oxybuprocaine and -0.6±4.1 μm (7.5 and -8.6 μm, 95% CI) for the fellow eyes (P>0.05). There was no significant variation among the 20 CCT columns for either oxybuprocaine or the control group (P>0.05 for both). One drop of topical oxybuprocaine 0.4% did not cause a significant change in CCT at up to 10 min following instillation. However, higher differences were observed at 2.30 min and 4.30 min after instillation. Copyright © 2012 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Treatment of patients with neurotrophic keratitis stages 2 and 3 with plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret) eye-drops.

    PubMed

    Sanchez-Avila, Ronald Mauricio; Merayo-Lloves, Jesus; Riestra, Ana Cristina; Fernandez-Vega Cueto, Luis; Anitua, Eduardo; Begoña, Leire; Muruzabal, Francisco; Orive, Gorka

    2018-06-01

    To provide preliminary data about efficacy and safety of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) eye-drops in neurotrophic keratitis (NK) and to analyze the possible influence of certain variables on treatment outcomes. This retrospective study included patients with stages 2-3 of NK treated with PRGF eye-drops. Primary endpoint was the resolution time of corneal ulcer defect. Outcome measures including percentage of ulcer closure at 4 weeks, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Best-Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were also evaluated before and after treatment with PRGF. The influence of some patients' clinical variables on results was assessed. Safety assessment was also performed reporting all adverse events. Thirty-eight treated eyes in a total of thirty-one patients were evaluated, of which five cases had no prior response to autologous serum treatment. Most cases (97.4%) achieved the complete resolution of corneal defect/ulcer. Mean resolution time was 11.4 weeks (SD = 13.7). A statistical significant (p < 0.05) reduction in OSDI (60.9%), VAS frequency (59.9%), VAS severity (57.0%) and improvement in BCVA (52.8%) was observed. The results were stratified according to the pathology stage and to the identified potential effect modifiers variables. Only one adverse event was reported in one patient (2.6%). PRGF eye-drops could be a safe and effective therapeutic option for patients with stages 2-3 of NK, showing high rates of corneal defect/ulcer resolution in short times, either in reducing signs and symptoms of NK, and therefore preventing the progression of NK to greater ocular complications.

  11. Brush seal leakage performance with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlile, Julie A.; Hendricks, Robert C.; Yoder, Dennis A.

    1992-06-01

    The leakage performance of a brush seal with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions was studied. The leakage results included for air, helium, and carbon dioxide at several bristle/rotor interferences. Also, the effects of packing a lubricant into the bristles and also of reversing the pressure drop across the seal were studied. Results were compared to that of an annular seal at similar operating conditions. In order to generalize the results, they were correlated using corresponding state theory. The brush seal tested had a bore diameter of 3.792 cm (1.4930 in.), a fence height of 0.0635 cm (0.025 in.), and 1800 bristles/cm circumference (4500 bristles/in. circumference). Various bristle/rotor radial interferences were achieved by using a tapered rotor. The brush seal reduced the leakage in comparison to the annular seal, up to 9.5 times. Reversing the pressure drop across the brush seal produced leakage rates approximately the same as that of the annular seal. Addition of a lubricant reduced the leakage by 2.5 times. The air and carbon dioxide data were successfully correlated using corresponding state theory. However, the helium data followed a different curve than the air and carbon dioxide data.

  12. Brush seal leakage performance with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carlile, Julie A.; Hendricks, Robert C.; Yoder, Dennis A.

    1992-01-01

    The leakage performance of a brush seal with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions was studied. The leakage results included for air, helium, and carbon dioxide at several bristle/rotor interferences. Also, the effects of packing a lubricant into the bristles and also of reversing the pressure drop across the seal were studied. Results were compared to that of an annular seal at similar operating conditions. In order to generalize the results, they were correlated using corresponding state theory. The brush seal tested had a bore diameter of 3.792 cm (1.4930 in.), a fence height of 0.0635 cm (0.025 in.), and 1800 bristles/cm circumference (4500 bristles/in. circumference). Various bristle/rotor radial interferences were achieved by using a tapered rotor. The brush seal reduced the leakage in comparison to the annular seal, up to 9.5 times. Reversing the pressure drop across the brush seal produced leakage rates approximately the same as that of the annular seal. Addition of a lubricant reduced the leakage by 2.5 times. The air and carbon dioxide data were successfully correlated using corresponding state theory. However, the helium data followed a different curve than the air and carbon dioxide data.

  13. Brush seal leakage performance with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carlile, Julie A.; Hendricks, Robert C.; Yoder, Dennis A.

    1992-01-01

    The leakage performance of a brush seal with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions was studied. The leakage results are included for air, helium, and carbon dioxide at several bristle/rotor interferences. Also, the effects of packing a lubricant into the bristles and also of reversing the pressure drop across the seal were studied. Results were compared to that of an annular seal at similar operating conditions. In order to generalize the results, they were correlated using corresponding state theory. The brush seal tested had a bore diameter of 3.792 cm (1.4930 in), a fence height of 0.0635 cm (0.025 in), and 1800 bristles/cm circumference (4500 bristles/in circumference). Various bristle/rotor radial interferences were achieved by using a tapered rotor. The brush seal reduced the leakage in comparison to the annular seal, up to 9.5 times. Reversing the pressure drop across the brush seal produced leakage rates approx. the same as that of the annular seal. Addition of a lubricant reduced the leakage by 2.5 times. The air and carbon dioxide data were successfully correlated using corresponding state theory. However, the helium data followed a different curve than the air and carbon dioxide data.

  14. Treatment of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis with a combination of povidone-iodine 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1% drops: a clinical prospective controlled randomized study.

    PubMed

    Kovalyuk, Natalya; Kaiserman, Igor; Mimouni, Michael; Cohen, Ornit; Levartovsky, Shmuel; Sherbany, Hilda; Mandelboim, Michal

    2017-12-01

    To determine the efficacy of combination povidone-iodine (PVP-I) 1.0% eyedrops and dexamethasone 0.1% eyedrops in the treatment of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis. In a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial patients with recent adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis (diagnosed clinically and confirmed by PCR), we randomly divided into three treatment groups: study group - received PVP-I 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1%, control 1 group - received dexamethasone 0.1% and control 2 group - received lubricating eyedrops (hypromellose 0.3%). The treatment was administered four times a day in each group. All patients were examined and filled a questionnaire before treatment and on the 3rd, 5th and 7th days of treatment. We included in the study 78 eyes (26 in each group). Adenovirus type 8 was the most common pathogen (83% of cases). The fastest improvement in patients red eyes, discharge, superficial punctate keratitis and pseudomembranes was observed in the study group (p < 0.001). Those patients reached a near complete recovery in 5-7 days, which was also confirmed by reduction in Adenovirus titres by PCR. The slowest improvement was in the control 2 group. Subepithelial infiltrates (SEI) were observed in 44% of the control 1 group, 20% of the control 2 group and in 0% of the study group. The rate of reduction in Adenovirus titres was the slowest in the control 1 group. The combination of PVP-I 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1% four times a day can reduce symptoms and expedite recovery in epidemic keratoconjunctivitis patients. © 2017 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Therapeutic uses of drug-carrier systems for imidazole-containing dipeptide compounds that act as pharmacological chaperones and have significant impact on the treatment of chronic diseases associated with increased oxidative stress and the formation of advanced glycation end products.

    PubMed

    Babizhayev, Mark A; Yegorov, Yegor E

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine how the naturally occurring molecules N-acetylcarnosine, L-carnosine, and carcinine, which are chemical or pharmacological chaperones, affect the cells and biomolecules of patients with skin diseases, cosmetic skin lesions, or underlying clinically significant visual impairment such as age-related cataracts, age-related retinal degeneration, and ocular complications of diabetes. We evaluated and characterized the effects of cited pharmacological chaperones on enzyme activity, protein structure in tissues, and other biomarkers of diseases in skin cells and tissues or in ocular tissues (human cataractous and normal lenses) derived from ophthalmic patients or age-matched donors. The samples were used to test imidazole-containing peptidomimetic chemical/pharmacological chaperones in relation to oxidative stress induced by reaction with lipid peroxides or advanced non-enzymatic glycation processes. Chaperone function is characterized by interaction with other proteins, mediating their folding, transport, and interaction with other molecules, lipid peroxidation products, and membranes. Although these therapies remain on hold pending further investigation, we present growing evidence demonstrating the ability of N-acetylcarnosine (lubricant eye drops) or carcinine pharmacological chaperone therapy to act as novel treatments for age-related cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and ocular complications of diabetes. Finally, we examine strategies for identifying potential chaperone compounds and for experimentally demonstrating chaperone and transglycating (de-glycation) types of activity in in vitro and in vivo models of human age-related eye diseases, such as cataracts, and advanced glycation tissue protein-engineered systems.

  16. Dry Eye Treatment Based on Contact Lens Drug Delivery: A Review.

    PubMed

    Guzman-Aranguez, Ana; Fonseca, Begoña; Carracedo, Gonzalo; Martin-Gil, Alba; Martinez-Aguila, Alejandro; Pintor, Jesús

    2016-09-01

    Dry eye disease affects a substantial segment of the word population with increasing frequency. It is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface and tear film, which causes ocular discomfort, visual disturbances, and tear instability with potential damage to the cornea and conjunctiva. Because of its multifactorial etiology, the use of different pharmacological treatment for dry eye treatment has been proposed, which include anti-inflammatory molecules, lubricants or comfort agents, and secretagogues. However, in some cases these pharmacological approaches only relieve symptoms temporarily, and consequently, eye care professionals continue to have difficulties managing dry eye. To improve pharmacological therapy that allows a more efficient and long-term action, effective ocular drug delivery of the currently available drugs for dry eye treatment is required. Contact lenses are emerging as alternative ophthalmic drugs delivery systems that provide an increased residence time of the drug at the eye, thus leading to enhanced bioavailability and more convenient and efficacious therapy. In this article, we reviewed the different techniques used to prepare contact lens-based drug delivery systems and focused on articles that describe the delivery of compounds for dry eye treatment through contact lenses.

  17. Bimatoprost-Loaded Ocular Inserts as Sustained Release Drug Delivery Systems for Glaucoma Treatment: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Franca, Juçara Ribeiro; Foureaux, Giselle; Fuscaldi, Leonardo Lima; Ribeiro, Tatiana Gomes; Rodrigues, Lívia Bomfim; Bravo, Renata; Castilho, Rachel Oliveira; Yoshida, Maria Irene; Cardoso, Valbert Nascimento; Fernandes, Simone Odília; Cronemberger, Sebastião; Ferreira, Anderson José; Faraco, André Augusto Gomes

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to develop and assess a novel sustained-release drug delivery system of Bimatoprost (BIM). Chitosan polymeric inserts were prepared using the solvent casting method and characterized by swelling studies, infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, drug content, scanning electron microscopy and in vitro drug release. Biodistribution of 99mTc-BIM eye drops and 99mTc-BIM-loaded inserts, after ocular administration in Wistar rats, was accessed by ex vivo radiation counting. The inserts were evaluated for their therapeutic efficacy in glaucomatous Wistar rats. Glaucoma was induced by weekly intracameral injection of hyaluronic acid. BIM-loaded inserts (equivalent to 9.0 µg BIM) were administered once into conjunctival sac, after ocular hypertension confirmation. BIM eye drop was topically instilled in a second group of glaucomatous rats for 15 days days, while placebo inserts were administered once in a third group. An untreated glaucomatous group was used as control. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was monitored for four consecutive weeks after treatment began. At the end of the experiment, retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve head cupping were evaluated in the histological eye sections. Characterization results revealed that the drug physically interacted, but did not chemically react with the polymeric matrix. Inserts sustainedly released BIM in vitro during 8 hours. Biodistribution studies showed that the amount of 99mTc-BIM that remained in the eye was significantly lower after eye drop instillation than after chitosan insert implantation. BIM-loaded inserts lowered IOP for 4 weeks, after one application, while IOP values remained significantly high for the placebo and untreated groups. Eye drops were only effective during the daily treatment period. IOP results were reflected in RGC counting and optic nerve head cupping damage. BIM-loaded inserts provided sustained release of BIM and seem to be a promising system for glaucoma management. PMID:24788066

  18. Multi-pumping flow system for the determination of boron in eye drops, drinking water and ocean water.

    PubMed

    González, Pablo; Sixto, Alexandra; Knochen, Moisés

    2017-05-01

    A novel automated method for the determination of boron based on the use of pulsed flows was developed and applied to the determination of this element in samples of tap water, ocean water and eye drops. The method was implemented by means of a multi-pumping system consisting of three solenoid micropumps and a photometric detector and exploits the reaction of azomethine-H in the presence of boron. The system runs under control of an open-source microcontroller. The main operational parameters were optimized. Given the particular kinetics of the reaction, a stopped-flow period (1 or 5min) was included to allow for color development. The method presents linearity in the range 0.35-3.0mgL -1 , good precision (s r <3%), and detection and quantification limits of 0.10 and 0.35mgL -1 respectively. Samples of tap water or eye drops could be successfully analyzed employing a 1-minute stop time, providing a maximum sampling frequency of 32 samples h -1 . In order to overcome matrix effect caused by the high saline concentration, ocean water samples required stop times of 5min, providing a sampling frequency of 10 samples h -1 . Recoveries of 102% (eye drops), 94% (drinking water) and 93% (ocean water) were obtained. The method was considered accurate and fit for the purpose. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Sustained ocular delivery of brimonidine tartrate using ion activated in situ gelling system.

    PubMed

    Geethalakshmi, A; Karki, Roopa; Jha, Sajal Kumar; Venkatesh, D P; Nikunj, B

    2012-03-01

    The poor bioavailability and therapeutic response exhibited by conventional eye drops due to rapid precorneal elimination of the drug may be overcome by the use of an in situ gelling systems that are instilled as drops into the eye and undergo a sol-to-gel transition in the cul-de-sac which improves patient compliance as the dosage regimen is one drop of the dosage form twice a day. The loss of drug overcomes due to the immediate gel formation between the eye membrane and the drug being entrapped simultaneously in sol-gel transition in the cul de sac. The present work describes the formulation and evaluation of an ophthalmic delivery system of an antiglaucomal agent, brimonidine tartrate based on the concept of ion-activated in situ gelation. Gelrite was used as the gelling agent, which gels in the presence of mono or divalent cations present in the lacrimal fluid. The formulations were evaluated for clarity, pH measurement, gelling capacity, drug content estimation, rheological study, in-vitro diffusion study, antibacterial activity, isotonicity testing, eye irritation testing. In the developed formulations Gelrite Brimonidine-3 (GB3) exhibited sustained release of drug from formulation over a period of 8 hrs thus increasing residence time of the drug, non-irritating with no ocular damage or abnormal clinical signs to the cornea, iris or conjunctiva, stable and sterile. These results demonstrate that the developed system is an alternative to conventional ophthalmic drops, with better patient compliance, and is industrially oriented and economical.

  20. Acute shallowing of the anterior chamber.

    PubMed Central

    Mapstone, R

    1981-01-01

    In aging eyes phenylephrine drops have no significant effect on the depth of the anterior chamber, whereas pilocarpine drops produce a significant shallowing. If both drugs are instilled simultaneously, a significantly greater decrease in anterior chamber depth occurs. The effect is seen in normal, glaucomatous, and hypertensive eyes, and in eyes with shallow anterior chambers. It did not occur in eyes that had had an iridectomy. During the course of a positive provocative test an acute reduction in anterior depth occurs which is reversed when the angle opens and pressure returns to normal levels. It is concluded that the depth of the anterior chamber is not a static dimension but that changes can occur which are rapid and transient. The mechanism of shallowing and deepening depends on an increase or a decrease in the pupil block force. It is a necessary consequence too that eyes with nonshallow anterior chambers can get closed-angle glaucoma and that this possibility cannot be detected by a conventional gonioscopic approach. PMID:6455153

  1. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-chitosan as thermosensitive in situ gel-forming system for ocular drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Cao, Yanxia; Zhang, Can; Shen, Wenbin; Cheng, Zhihong; Yu, Liangli Lucy; Ping, Qineng

    2007-07-31

    A novel copolymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-chitosan (PNIPAAm-CS), was investigated for its thermosensitive in situ gel-forming properties and potential utilization for ocular drug delivery. The thermal sensitivity and low critical solution temperature (LCST) were determined by the cloud point method. PNIPAAm-CS had a LCST of 32 degrees C, which is close to the surface temperature of the eye. The in vivo ocular pharmacokinetics of timolol maleate in PNIPAAm-CS solution were evaluated and compared to that in conventional eye drop solution by using rabbits according to the microdialysis method. The C(max) of timolol maleate in aqueous fluid for the PNIPAAm-CS solution was 11.2 microg/ml, which is two-fold higher than that of the conventional eye drop, along with greater AUC. Furthermore, the PNIPAAm-CS gel-forming solution of timolol maleate had a stronger capacity to reduce the intra-ocular pressure (IOP) than that of the conventional eye drop of same concentration over a period of 12 h. In addition, the MTT assay showed that there is little cytotoxicity of PNIPAAm-CS at concentration range of 0.5-400 microg/ml. These results suggest that PNIPAAm-CS is a potential thermosensitive in situ gel-forming material for ocular drug delivery, and it may improve the bio-availability, efficacy, and compliance of some eye drugs.

  2. Effect of diquafosol tetrasodium eye drop for persistent dry eye after laser in situ keratomileusis.

    PubMed

    Mori, Yosai; Nejima, Ryohei; Masuda, Ayami; Maruyama, Yoko; Minami, Keiichiro; Miyata, Kazunori; Amano, Shiro

    2014-07-01

    To evaluate the effect of diquafosol tetrasodium (DQS) for the treatment of persistent dry eye after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Miyata Eye Hospital, Miyazaki, Japan. Noncomparative case series. This prospective study included 30 eyes of 15 patients in whom dry eye had persisted for over 12 months after LASIK, and the symptoms had not improved with artificial tears and sodium hyaluronate treatment. In addition, treatment with DQS 3% eye drops, 6 times a day, was performed for 12 weeks. Best-corrected visual acuity, tear secretion with the Schirmer test, tear break-up time, and fluorescein and lissamine green staining scores on the cornea and conjunctiva were examined before and at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the addition. A subjective questionnaire of 14 symptoms was also assessed before and 12 weeks after treatment. The fluorescein and lissamine green staining scores significantly improved over 12 weeks; however, the best-corrected visual acuity and tear secretion did not change. The symptoms of fatigue, dryness, grittiness, discomfort, difficulty in reading, and discomfort within the area of dryness improved after the additional DQS treatment. The DQS treatment improved the subjective and objective symptoms of persistent dry eye after LASIK. Increased mucin production because of the addition of DQS probably improved the tear film stability and reduced the symptoms of dry eye in patients who had persistent dry eye after LASIK.

  3. Fault Lubrication and Earthquake Propagation in Thermally Unstable Rocks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Paola, Nicola; Hirose, Takehiro; Mitchell, Tom; di Toro, Giulio; Viti, Cecilia; Shimamoto, Toshiko

    2010-05-01

    During earthquake propagation in thermally unstable rocks, the frictional heat generated can induce thermal reactions which lead to chemical and physical changes in the slip zone. We performed laboratory friction experiments on thermally unstable minerals (gypsum, dolomite and calcite) at about 1 m/s slip velocities, more than 1 m displacements and calculated temperature rise above 500 C degrees. These conditions are typical during the propagation of large earthquakes. The main findings of our experimental work are: 1) Dramatic fault weakening is characterized by a dynamic frictional strength drop up to 90% of the initial static value in the Byerlee's range. 2) Seismic source parameters, calculated from our experimental results, match those obtained by modelling of seismological data from the 1997 Cofliorito earthquake nucleated in carbonate rocks in Italy (i.e. same rocks used in the friction experiments). Fault lubrication observed during the experiments is controlled by the superposition of multiple, thermally-activated, slip weakening mechanisms (e.g., flash heating, thermal pressurization and nanoparticle lubrication). The integration of mechanical and CO2 emission data, temperature rise calculations and XRPD analyses suggests that flash heating is not the main dynamic slip weakening process. This process was likely inhibited very soon (t < 1s) for displacements d < 0.20 m, when intense grain size reduction by both cataclastic and chemical/thermal processes took place. Conversely, most of the dynamic weakening observed was controlled by thermal pressurization and nanoparticle lubrication processes. The dynamic shear strength of experimental faults was reduced when fluids (CO2, H2O) were trapped and pressurized within the slip zone, in accord with the effective normal stress principle. The fluids were not initially present in the slip zone, but were released by decarbonation (dolomite and Mg-rich calcite) and dehydration (gypsum) reactions, both activated by frictional heating during seismic slip. The dynamic weakening effects of nanoparticles (e.g. powder lubrication) are still unclear due to the poorly understood mechanical properties of nanoparticles at high velocities and temperatures, typical of seismic slip. The experimental results improve our understanding of the controls exerted on the dynamic frictional strength of faults by the coseismic operation of chemical (mineral decomposition) and physical (grain size reduction, fluids release and pressurization) processes. The estimation of this parameter is out of the range of seismological studies, although it controls the magnitude of the stress drop, the seismic fault heat flow and the relative partitioning of the earthquake energy budget, which are all controversial and still debated issues in the scientific community.

  4. Fault Lubrication and Earthquake Propagation in Thermally Unstable Rocks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Paola, N.; Hirose, T.; Mitchell, T. M.; di Toro, G.; Viti, C.; Shimamoto, T.

    2009-12-01

    During earthquake propagation in thermally unstable rocks, the frictional heat generated can induce thermal reactions which lead to chemical and physical changes in the slip zone. We performed laboratory friction experiments on thermally unstable minerals (gypsum, dolomite and calcite) at about 1 m/s slip velocities, more than 1 m displacements and calculated temperature rise above 500 C degrees. These conditions are typical during the propagation of large earthquakes. The main findings of our experimental work are: 1) Dramatic fault weakening is characterized by a dynamic frictional strength drop up to 90% of the initial static value in the Byerlee’s range. 2) Seismic source parameters, calculated from our experimental results, match those obtained by modelling of seismological data from the 1997 Cofliorito earthquake nucleated in carbonate rocks in Italy (i.e. same rocks used in the friction experiments). Fault lubrication observed during the experiments is controlled by the superposition of multiple, thermally-activated, slip weakening mechanisms (e.g., flash heating, thermal pressurization and nanoparticle lubrication). The integration of mechanical and CO2 emission data, temperature rise calculations and XRPD analyses suggests that flash heating is not the main dynamic slip weakening process. This process was likely inhibited very soon (t < 1s) for displacements d < 0.20 m, when intense grain size reduction by both cataclastic and chemical/thermal processes took place. Conversely, most of the dynamic weakening observed was controlled by thermal pressurization and nanoparticle lubrication processes. The dynamic shear strength of experimental faults was reduced when fluids (CO2, H2O) were trapped and pressurized within the slip zone, in accord with the effective normal stress principle. The fluids were not initially present in the slip zone, but were released by decarbonation (dolomite and Mg-rich calcite) and dehydration (gypsum) reactions, both activated by frictional heating during seismic slip. The dynamic weakening effects of nanoparticles (e.g. powder lubrication) are still unclear due to the poorly understood mechanical properties of nanoparticles at high velocities and temperatures, typical of seismic slip. The experimental results improve our understanding of the controls exerted on the dynamic frictional strength of faults by the coseismic operation of chemical (mineral decomposition) and physical (grain size reduction, fluids release and pressurization) processes. The estimation of this parameter is out of the range of seismological studies, although it controls the magnitude of the stress drop, the seismic fault heat flow and the relative partitioning of the earthquake energy budget, which are all controversial and still debated issues in the scientific community.

  5. Efficacy of retinol palmitate eye drops for dry eye in rabbits with lacrimal gland resection

    PubMed Central

    Odaka, Akito; Toshida, Hiroshi; Ohta, Toshihiko; Tabuchi, Nobuhito; Koike, Daisuke; Suto, Chikako; Murakami, Akira

    2012-01-01

    Purpose We examined the efficacy of retinol palmitate (VApal) for dry eyes using dry eye model rabbits whose lacrimal glands were resected. Materials and methods After alkaline injury on keratoconjunctival epithelium, VApal eye drops were administered 6 times a day for 7 days. The efficacy of VApal was also compared with that of 0.1% hyaluronic acid eye drops. Results The fluorescein staining and rose bengal scores showed a significant decrease compared with the score in the vehicle group at 7 days (P < 0.05) in the 1000 IU/mL VApal group and at both 3 days (P < 0.05) and 7 days (P < 0.01) in the 1500 IU/mL VApal group. Histological examination revealed recovery of the corneal epithelium, and PAS staining disclosed the recovery of mucin-producing lower palpebral conjunctival goblet cells after 7 days in the 1500 IU/mL VApal group compared with the vehicle group. Results from impression cytology showed a significant increase in density of conjunctival goblet cells compared with that in the vehicle group after 7 days in the 1000 IU/mL VApal group and after 3 and 7 days in the 1500 IU/mL VApal group. There were no significant changes in tear flow in either group. Topical application of VApal at 1500 IU/mL showed greater improvement than 0.1% hyaluronic acid in both fluorescein and rose bengal score and in the density of conjunctival goblet cells. Conclusion It is suggested that VApal is effective for the improvement of keratoconjunctival epithelial damage associated with tear abnormalities, such as dry eyes. PMID:23055683

  6. A Controlled, Randomized Double-Blind Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Chitosan-N-Acetylcysteine for the Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Schmidl, Doreen; Werkmeister, René; Kaya, Semira; Unterhuber, Angelika; Witkowska, Katarzyna J; Baumgartner, Renate; Höller, Sonja; O'Rourke, Maria; Peterson, Ward; Wolter, Annika; Prinz, Martin; Schmetterer, Leopold; Garhöfer, Gerhard

    2017-06-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the effect of chitosan-N-acetylcysteine (C-NAC) eye drops on tear film thickness (TFT) in patients with dry eye syndrome (DES). This was a controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical investigation with patients assigned to 2 cohorts. In Cohort I, 21 patients were randomized to receive 1 instillation of C-NAC eye drops in 1 eye and placebo (normal saline solution) in the contralateral eye. In Cohort II, 17 patients were randomized to receive C-NAC eye drops once (QD) or twice (BID) daily for 5 days. TFT was assessed with a custom-built ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography system. In Cohort I, mean TFT increased from 3.9 ± 0.5 μm predose to 4.8 ± 1.1 μm 10 min postdose after treatment with C-NAC. The increase was significantly different from placebo over time (P < 0.0001) and remained stable until 24 h postdose. In Cohort II, TFT increased with QD and BID instillation, with no significant difference between regimens. In both groups, Ocular Surface Disease Index scores improved, fewer patients presented with corneal damage, and symptoms of ocular discomfort/conjunctival redness were reduced. A single instillation of C-NAC significantly increased mean TFT in patients with DES as early as 10 min after instillation and lasted for 24 h. The magnitude of the increase in TFT following a single instillation was comparable with that after instillation twice daily over 5 days. Corneal damage improved in >60% of patients. C-NAC could be a viable treatment option for DES.

  7. 21 CFR 524.1600b - Nystatin, neomycin, thiostrepton, and triamcinolone acetonide ophthalmic ointment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ..., antipruritic, antifungal (Candida albicans), and antibacterial ointment for local therapy in keratitis and... administered as follows: (i) For conjunctivitis and keratitis: Apply one drop of ointment to the affected eye(s...

  8. 21 CFR 524.1600b - Nystatin, neomycin, thiostrepton, and triamcinolone acetonide ophthalmic ointment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ..., antipruritic, antifungal (Candida albicans), and antibacterial ointment for local therapy in keratitis and... administered as follows: (i) For conjunctivitis and keratitis: Apply one drop of ointment to the affected eye(s...

  9. Fatal necrotising enterocolitis due to mydriatic eye drops.

    PubMed

    Ozgun, Uygur; Demet, Terek; Ozge, Koroglu A; Zafer, Dokumcu; Murat, Sezak; Mehmet, Yalaz; Nilgun, Kultursay

    2014-05-01

    Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a serious problem of preterm infants which may lead to impairment of vision and even to blindness if untreated. Routine eye examination is necessary for early diagnosis and treatment of ROP in preterm infants. Mydriatic eye drops (cyclopentolate, tropicamide and phenylephrine) are applied before the ophthalmic examination. These agents are rarely absorbed to systemic circulation and in some cases result with serious side effects like skin rash, tachycardia, feeding intolerance, discomfort, apnea, gastric dilatation and ileus, despite different treatment models and dosage reducing strategies. We report here a preterm patient who died because of severe diffuse necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after topical application of 0.5% cyclopentolate and 1.25% phenylephrine during ROP screening to emphasise the serious side effects of these agents.

  10. Optimization and validation of an existing, surgical and robust dry eye rat model for the evaluation of therapeutic compounds.

    PubMed

    Joossen, Cedric; Lanckacker, Ellen; Zakaria, Nadia; Koppen, Carina; Joossens, Jurgen; Cools, Nathalie; De Meester, Ingrid; Lambeir, Anne-Marie; Delputte, Peter; Maes, Louis; Cos, Paul

    2016-05-01

    The aim of this research was to optimize and validate an animal model for dry eye, adopting clinically relevant evaluation parameters. Dry eye was induced in female Wistar rats by surgical removal of the exorbital lacrimal gland. The clinical manifestations of dry eye were evaluated by tear volume measurements, corneal fluorescein staining, cytokine measurements in tear fluid, MMP-9 mRNA expression and CD3(+) cell infiltration in the conjunctiva. The animal model was validated by treatment with Restasis(®) (4 weeks) and commercial dexamethasone eye drops (2 weeks). Removal of the exorbital lacrimal gland resulted in 50% decrease in tear volume and a gradual increase in corneal fluorescein staining. Elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-1α have been registered in tear fluid together with an increase in CD3(+) cells in the palpebral conjunctiva when compared to control animals. Additionally, an increase in MMP-9 mRNA expression was recorded in conjunctival tissue. Reference treatment with Restasis(®) and dexamethasone eye drops had a positive effect on all evaluation parameters, except on tear volume. This rat dry eye model was validated extensively and judged appropriate for the evaluation of novel compounds and therapeutic preparations for dry eye disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Budget impact model of Mydrane®, a new intracameral injectable used for intra-operative mydriasis, from a UK hospital perspective.

    PubMed

    Davey, Keith; Chang, Bernard; Purslow, Christine; Clay, Emilie; Vataire, Anne-Lise

    2018-04-19

    During cataract surgery, maintaining an adequate degree of mydriasis throughout the entire operation is critical to allow for visualisation of the capsulorhexis and the crystalline lens. Good anaesthesia is also essential for safe intraocular surgery. Mydrane® is a new injectable intracameral solution containing two mydriatics (tropicamide 0.02% and phenylephrine 0.31%) and one anaesthetic (lidocaine 1%) that was developed as an alternative to the conventional topical pre-operative mydriatics used in cataract surgery. This study aimed to estimate the budget impact across a one year time frame using Mydrane® instead of topical dilating eye drops, for a UK hospital performing 3,000 cataract operations a year. A budget impact model (BIM) was developed to compare the economic outcomes associated with the use of Mydrane® versus topical drops (tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 10%) in patients undergoing cataract surgery in a UK hospital. The outcomes of interest included costs and resource use (e.g. clinician time, mydriasis failures, operating room time, number of patients per vial of therapy etc.) associated with management of mydriasis in patients undergoing cataract surgery. All model inputs considered the UK hospital perspective without social or geographical variables. Deterministic sensitivity analyses were also performed to assess the model uncertainty. Introduction of Mydrane® is associated with a cost saving of £6,251 over 3,000 cataract surgeries in one year. The acquisition costs of the Mydrane® (£18,000 by year vs. £3,330 for eye drops) were balanced by substantial reductions in mainly nurses' costs and time, plus a smaller contribution from savings in surgeons' costs (£20,511) and lower costs associated with auxiliary dilation (£410 due to avoidance of additional dilation methods). Results of the sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the model to the variation of inputs. Except for the duration of one session of eye drop instillation and the cost of Mydrane®, Mydrane® achieved an incremental cost gain compared to tropicamide/phenylephrine eye drops. Despite a higher acquisition cost of Mydrane®, the budget impact of Mydrane® on hospital budgets is neutral. Mydrane® offers a promising alternative to traditional regimes using eye drops, allowing for a better patient flow and optimisation of the surgery schedule with neutral budget impact.

  12. 21 CFR 524.1200b - Kanamycin ophthalmic aqueous solution.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...) of this chapter. (c) Conditions of use. It is indicated for use in dogs in various eye infections due..., removal of foreign bodies, and intraocular surgery. Instill a few drops into the affected eye every 3... least 48 hours after the eye appears normal. For use only by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian...

  13. 21 CFR 524.1200b - Kanamycin ophthalmic aqueous solution.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...) of this chapter. (c) Conditions of use. It is indicated for use in dogs in various eye infections due..., removal of foreign bodies, and intraocular surgery. Instill a few drops into the affected eye every 3... least 48 hours after the eye appears normal. For use only by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian...

  14. 16 CFR 1500.42 - Test for eye irritants.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... before testing, and only those animals without eye defects or irritation shall be used. The animal is held firmly but gently until quiet. The test material is placed in one eye of each animal by gently pulling the lower lid away from the eyeball to form a cup into which the test substance is dropped. The...

  15. Evaluation of treatment for dry eye with 2-hydroxyestradiol using a dry eye rat model.

    PubMed

    Higuchi, Akihiro; Oonishi, Erina; Kawakita, Tetsuya; Tsubota, Kazuo

    2016-01-01

    2-hydroxy estradiol (2-OHE2) is a catechol derivative of 17β -Estradiol (E2) and it is synthesized from E2 catalyzed by cytochrome P4501A1. Previous studies reported that 2-OHE2 is a physiologic antioxidant in lipoproteins, liver microsomes, and the brain. Catechol derivatives show an anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PGS) activity. Corneal erosion caused by dry eye is related to an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation in ocular surface cells. We investigated the therapeutic effects of 2-OHE2 on corneal damage caused by dry eye. Steroidal radical scavenging activity was confirmed through the electron spin resonance (ESR) method. PGS activity was measured using the COX Fluorescent Activity Assay Kit. To evaluate the effect of 2-OHE2 on the treatment for dry eye, 2-OHE2 was applied as an eye drop experiment using dry eye model rats. 2-OHE2 scavenged tyrosyl radical and possibly suppressed oxidative stress in corneal epithelial cells. In addition, 2-OHE2 inhibited PGS activity, and 2-OHE2 is probably a competitive inhibitor of PGS. Corneal PGS activity was upregulated in the dry eye group. Therefore, 2-OHE2 eye drops improved corneal erosion in dry eye model rats. 2-OHE2 is a candidate for the treatment of dry eye through the suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress in the cornea.

  16. Determination of loss tangent of human tear film at 9.8 GHz

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bansal, Namita; Dhaliwal, A. S.; Mann, K. S.

    2015-08-01

    Basal (non-stimulated) tears that are produced by accessory lacrimal glands located in conjunctiva of human eye, form tear film which in turn keeps the eye moist and lubricate; nourishes the eye; protects the eye from dust, bacterial infection and shear forces generated during eye movements and blinking; and provides a refractive surface on the corneal epithelium. Film is known to contain water, mucin, lipids, lysozyme, glucose, urea, sodium etc. In present communication, loss tangent of human tear film has been determined at 9.8 GHz microwaves by employing cavity perturbation technique at a temperature of 37°C. The basal tears from a small population comprising six subjects were collected and average value of loss tangent is reported. Slater's technique was used to reduce the error caused in measuring the volume of sample. The determined values are useful to study the biological effects of microwaves on tear film as well as other parts of human eye such as eye lens and lens epithelial cells. To the best of author's knowledge, no such study is available in literature at any radio as well as microwave frequencies; therefore present determinations are first of its kind.

  17. [Eye stress from work with visual screens].

    PubMed

    Läubli, T; Hünting, W; Grandjean, E

    1980-09-01

    Four groups of office tasks were studied: Data entry terminals, conversational terminals, traditional office work and typing. Eye impairments are observed in every group of office employees, but the impairments are more frequent in VDU operators. The impairments persist during leisure time. High luminance contrasts between screen and source document are associated with an increase of eye troubles. Increased oscillating luminance of characters is associated with lower visual acuity, with a higher incidence of subjective and objective symptoms of eye irritation including more frequent use of eye drops.

  18. Drop Spreading with Random Viscosity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Feng; Jensen, Oliver

    2016-11-01

    Airway mucus acts as a barrier to protect the lung. However as a biological material, its physical properties are known imperfectly and can be spatially heterogeneous. In this study we assess the impact of these uncertainties on the rate of spreading of a drop (representing an inhaled aerosol) over a mucus film. We model the film as Newtonian, having a viscosity that depends linearly on the concentration of a passive solute (a crude proxy for mucin proteins). Given an initial random solute (and hence viscosity) distribution, described as a Gaussian random field with a given correlation structure, we seek to quantify the uncertainties in outcomes as the drop spreads. Using lubrication theory, we describe the spreading of the drop in terms of a system of coupled nonlinear PDEs governing the evolution of film height and the vertically-averaged solute concentration. We perform Monte Carlo simulations to predict the variability in the drop centre location and width (1D) or area (2D). We show how simulation results are well described (at much lower computational cost) by a low-order model using a weak disorder expansion. Our results show for example how variability in the drop location is a non-monotonic function of the solute correlation length increases. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

  19. The Correlation between Daily Lens Wear Duration and Dry Eye Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Lubis, Rodiah Rahmawaty; Gultom, Monica Tumiar Hanna

    2018-05-20

    To analyze the correlation between the daily lens wear duration and dry eye syndrome. This study was an analytic cross sectional study using consecutive sampling conducted among the students in Economy and Bussiness Faculty and Faculty of Humanities in University of Sumatera Utara aged between 17 to 23 that wore contact lens continously for at least a year and 5 days a week. The symptoms were assessed using Contact Lens Dry Eye Questionnaire-8 (CLDEQ-8) and interview about their contact lens comfort; eye drops usage, contact lens washing habit, daily circumstances, places to buy contact lens and personal experince in wearing contact lens. The questionnaire was completed by 53 students. All of them were female and wore softlens wearers. The mean duration of daily wear was 8.19 ± 2.20 hours. The most common symptom experienced was dry eye and the least symptom experienced was removing lens. The most frequent symptom experienced was closing eyes and the least frequent symptom experienced was removing lenses. This study used Exact Test as analysis statistic method. The result was p > 0.05 which means there is no correlation between daily lens wear duration and dry eye syndrome. This study showed that dry eye syndrome was not correlated with daily lens wear duration, but affected by many factors such as contact lens, lens care solution, eye drops usage and environment.

  20. Clinical audit examining the impact of benzalkonium chloride-free anti-glaucoma medications on patients with symptoms of ocular surface disease.

    PubMed

    Goldberg, Ivan; Graham, Stuart L; Crowston, Jonathan G; d'Mellow, Guy

    2015-04-01

    Ocular surface disease (OSD) is relatively common in glaucoma patients. OSD symptoms could be linked to prolonged exposure to preservatives in anti-glaucoma medications, especially benzalkonium chloride (BAK). The OBSERVE clinical audit was designed to track the impact of intraocular pressure lowering medications in patients with evidence of OSD to test the hypothesis that BAK-free anti-glaucoma preparations offer clinical advantages over BAK-containing products. Prospective clinical audit from March 2012 to April 2013, open to ophthalmologists practising in Australia. There were 375 patients enrolled, with a completion rate of 64%. The cohort was predominantly female (68%) with an average age of 71 years. Patients were screened for inclusion during a routine consultation. If eligible, they were enrolled. At the ophthalmologist's discretion, some patients were switched to BAK-free anti-glaucoma products. Data were collected via an online survey completed by the ophthalmologist during three appointments over a 16- to 30-week period for all patients. Intraocular pressure, tear-film breakup time, McMonnies Dry Eye Questionnaire score and reported lubricant use. Patients who switched to BAK-free preparations reported a significant fall in the use of lubricants (P = <0.001). Patients in both groups experienced a significant improvement in McMonnies Dry Eye Questionnaire score (P = <0.0001). The percentage of patients with low tear-film breakup time decreased significantly in both groups (P = 0.0001). There was no significant change in intraocular pressure from pre-study levels for either group (P = 0.105). BAK-free anti-glaucoma preparations were associated with a change in lubricant use, suggesting reduction in some OSD symptoms, but more research is needed. © 2014 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  1. Non-Coalescence Effects in Microgravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Neitzel, G. Paul

    1997-01-01

    Non-coalescence of two bodies of the same liquid and the suppression of contact between liquid drops and solid surfaces is being studied through a pair of parallel investigations being conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Microgravity Research and Support (MARS) Center in Naples, Italy. Both non-coalescence and contact suppression are achieved by exploiting the mechanism of thermocapillary convection to drive a lubricating film of surrounding gas (air) into the space between the two liquid free surfaces (non-coalescence) or between the drop free surface and the solid (contact suppression). Experiments performed to date include flow visualization experiments in both axisymmetric and (nearly) two-dimensional geometries and quantitative measurements of film thickness in the contact-suppression case in both geometries.

  2. Ocular Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and NGF Eye Drop Application as Paradigms to Investigate NGF Neuroprotective and Reparative Actions.

    PubMed

    Tirassa, Paola; Rosso, Pamela; Iannitelli, Angela

    2018-01-01

    The eye is a central nervous system structure that is uniquely accessible to local treatment. Through the ocular surface, it is possible to access the retina, optic nerve, and brain. Animal models of retina degeneration or optic nerve crush could thus serve as tools to investigate whether and how factors, which are anterogradely or retrogradely transported through the optic nerve, might contribute to activate neuroprotection and eventually regeneration. Among these factors, nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a crucial role during development of the visual system, as well as during the entire life span, and in pathological conditions. The ability of NGF to exert survival and trophic actions on the retina and brain cells when applied intraocularly and topically as eye drops is critically reviewed here, together with the effects of ocular neurotrophins on neuronal pathways influencing body rhythm, cognitions, and behavioral functions. The latest data from animal models and humans are presented, and the mechanism of action of ocularly administered NGF is discussed. NGF eye drops are proposed as an experimental strategy to investigate the role and cellular targets of neurotrophins in the mechanism(s) underlying neurodegeneration/regeneration and their involvement in the regulation of neurological and behavioral dysfunctions.

  3. Topical Administration of Somatostatin Prevents Retinal Neurodegeneration in Experimental Diabetes

    PubMed Central

    Hernández, Cristina; García-Ramírez, Marta; Corraliza, Lidia; Fernández-Carneado, Jimena; Farrera-Sinfreu, Josep; Ponsati, Berta; González-Rodríguez, Águeda; Valverde, Ángela M.; Simó, Rafael

    2013-01-01

    Retinal neurodegeneration is an early event in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Somatostatin (SST) is an endogenous neuroprotective peptide that is downregulated in the diabetic eye. The aim of the study was to test the usefulness of topical administration of SST in preventing retinal neurodegeneration. For this purpose, rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (STZ-DM) were treated with either SST eye drops or vehicle for 15 days. Nondiabetic rats treated with vehicle served as a control group. Functional abnormalities were assessed by electroretinography (ERG), and neurodegeneration was assessed by measuring glial activation and the apoptotic rate. In addition, proapoptotic (FasL, Bid, and activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3) and survival signaling pathways (BclxL) were examined. Intraretinal concentrations of glutamate and its main transporter glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) were also determined. Treatment with SST eye drops prevented ERG abnormalities, glial activation, apoptosis, and the misbalance between proapoptotic and survival signaling detected in STZ-DM rats. In addition, SST eye drops inhibited glutamate accumulation in the retina and GLAST downregulation induced by diabetes mellitus. We conclude that topical administration of SST has a potent effect in preventing retinal neurodegeneration induced by diabetes mellitus. In addition, our findings open up a new preventive pharmacological strategy targeted to early stages of DR. PMID:23474487

  4. Topical administration of somatostatin prevents retinal neurodegeneration in experimental diabetes.

    PubMed

    Hernández, Cristina; García-Ramírez, Marta; Corraliza, Lidia; Fernández-Carneado, Jimena; Farrera-Sinfreu, Josep; Ponsati, Berta; González-Rodríguez, Agueda; Valverde, Angela M; Simó, Rafael

    2013-07-01

    Retinal neurodegeneration is an early event in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Somatostatin (SST) is an endogenous neuroprotective peptide that is downregulated in the diabetic eye. The aim of the study was to test the usefulness of topical administration of SST in preventing retinal neurodegeneration. For this purpose, rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (STZ-DM) were treated with either SST eye drops or vehicle for 15 days. Nondiabetic rats treated with vehicle served as a control group. Functional abnormalities were assessed by electroretinography (ERG), and neurodegeneration was assessed by measuring glial activation and the apoptotic rate. In addition, proapoptotic (FasL, Bid, and activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3) and survival signaling pathways (BclxL) were examined. Intraretinal concentrations of glutamate and its main transporter glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) were also determined. Treatment with SST eye drops prevented ERG abnormalities, glial activation, apoptosis, and the misbalance between proapoptotic and survival signaling detected in STZ-DM rats. In addition, SST eye drops inhibited glutamate accumulation in the retina and GLAST downregulation induced by diabetes mellitus. We conclude that topical administration of SST has a potent effect in preventing retinal neurodegeneration induced by diabetes mellitus. In addition, our findings open up a new preventive pharmacological strategy targeted to early stages of DR.

  5. Lower conjunctival fornix packing for mydriasis in premature infants: a randomized trial

    PubMed Central

    Thanathanee, Onsiri; Ratanapakorn, Tanapat; Morley, Michael G; Yospaiboon, Yosanan

    2012-01-01

    Objective To compare the mydriatic effect of lower conjunctival fornix packing to conventional instillation of eyedrops containing 2.5% phenylephrine and 1% tropicamide in premature infants undergoing examination for retinopathy of prematurity. Methods The patients were randomized to receive either conventional instillation of mydriatic drops or lower conjunctival fornix packing in one eye and the alternate method in the fellow eye. For the eyes receiving lower conjunctival fornix packing (study group), one small piece of the cotton wool soaked with one drop of 2.5% phenylephrine and one drop of 1% tropicamide was packed in the lower conjunctival fornix for 15 minutes. For the eyes receiving the conventional instillation (control group), 2.5% phenylephrine and 1% tropicamide were alternately instilled every 5 minutes for two doses each. Horizontal pupil diameter was measured with a ruler in millimeters 40 minutes later. Results The mean dilated pupil diameter in study group and control group were 5.76 ± 1.01 mm and 4.50 ± 1.08 mm, respectively. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion The dilated pupil diameter after receiving the lower conjunctival fornix packing was larger than conventional instillation with a statistically significant difference. We recommended the packing method to dilate the preterm infant pupil, especially if the pupil is difficult to dilate. PMID:22368443

  6. Symptomatic Dry Eye and Its Associated Factors: A Study of University Undergraduate Students in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Asiedu, Kofi; Kyei, Samuel; Boampong, Frank; Ocansey, Stephen

    2017-07-01

    To estimate the prevalence and risk factors of symptomatic dry eye disease (DED) among undergraduate students in a Ghanaian university. This cross-sectional study included 700 undergraduate students of the University of Cape Coast, aged 18 to 34 years. Participants completed questionnaires delivered directly to randomly and systematically selected subjects to detect symptomatic dry eye and its predictive factors. Symptomatic dry eye was defined as any reported symptom on the Standard Patient Evaluation Eye Dryness (SPEED) questionnaire reported as often or constant or if any symptom on the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was reported as most of the time or all of the time. Furthermore, OSDI ≥13 and SPEED ≥6 were used to defined symptomatic dry eye and prevalence were also estimated with these criteria as secondary measures. Current symptoms of dry eye and possible risk factors such as age, gender, current alcohol drinking, use of oral contraceptives, use of computer more than an hour daily, environmental conditions, allergies, and self-medication with over-the-counter eye drops were the main outcome measures. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the associations between dry eye and its predictive factors. Of the 700 participants, 650 completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of symptomatic dry eye was 44.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40.6%-48.2%). There was a significant association between symptomatic dry eye and discomfort with eyes in windy conditions (χ=110.1; df=4; P<0.001), areas with low humidity (χ=91.6; df=4; P<0.001), and air-conditioned rooms (χ=89.0; df=4; P<0.001). Self-medication with over-the-counter eye drops (OR 4.20; 95% CI, 2.61-6.74; P<0.001), any allergies (OR 2.46; 95% CI, 1.42-4.29; P=0.001), and use of oral contraceptives (OR 4.04; 95% CI, 1.02-16.01; P=0.047) were predictive factors of symptomatic dry eye. Sex was predictive in univariate analysis but was not significantly associated in multivariate analysis. The prevalence of symptomatic dry eye among undergraduate students in Ghana is high and it is associated with self-medication with over-the-counter eye drops, allergies, use of oral contraceptive, windy conditions, very low humid areas, air-conditioned rooms, and sex. Relevant input directed against modifiable risks factors may have a positive impact on the well-being of undergraduate students in Ghana.

  7. Il fenomeno della "goccia nera" e l'astigmatismo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horn D'Arturo, Guido

    2004-03-01

    The Venus transit on the Solar disc was for the first time observed in 1639, using "modern" instruments, by Gassendi. Yet since the following transit, an effect was perceived which modified Venus and Sun profiles at the moments of the first and second visual contact between the two celestial bodies. This effect was called "gutta nigra", i.e. black drop. Horn d'Arturo was widely interested in studies on the vision and on its effects on astronomical observations. In the following paper, he suggested what probably was the first correct explanation of the black drop effect. As stated on the Dictionary of Scientific Biography (ad vocem), Horn "clarified the effect on vision, especially in the astigmatic eye, of the suture of the eye lens and the formation of the so-called black drop".

  8. Influence of Sodium Hyaluronate Concentration on Corneal Aberrations in Soft Contact Lens Wearers

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Jong Soo; Park, Jong Moon; Cho, Hyun Kyung; Kim, Su Jin; Huh, Hyoun Do

    2018-01-01

    Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the influence of varying concentrations of sodium hyaluronate (SH) eye drops on corneal aberrations in normal individuals wearing silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Methods Normal individuals wearing silicone hydrogel contact lenses were enrolled in this study. Subjects were classified into two groups depending on the concentration of the preservative-free SH used (group 1, 0.1% SH; group 2, 0.3% SH). All subjects were asked to blink five times after instillation of the SH eye drop and before the Galilei measurements. Corneal aberrations were measured over the contact lenses before and after SH eye drop instillation. Visual acuity (VA) over the contact lenses was also measured both before instillation of the SH eye drop and after the subjects completed the five blinks. Results There was no change in VA after SH instillation in group 1; however, group 2's VA significantly deteriorated after SH instillation. Changes in VA after SH instillation compared to baseline were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1. Similarly, the increase in corneal aberrations after SH instillation was significant in group 2 but not significant in group 1. Among the significantly increased corneal aberration parameters, defocus was the main type in group 2. Changes in corneal aberrations after SH instillation compared to baseline were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1. Conclusions A 0.3%-concentration of SH increases corneal aberration and decreases VA in soft contact lens wearers. Defocus is the main type of aberration that increased in the 0.3% SH instillation group. PMID:29611370

  9. Bimatoprost Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... by soft contact lenses. If you wear contact lenses, remove them before instilling bimatoprost and put them back in 15 minutes later.if you have an eye injury, infection, or surgery while using bimatoprost, ask your doctor if you should continue using the same eye drop container.

  10. Effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus virulence factor profiles in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

    PubMed

    López, Yolanda; Samudio, Margarita; Fariña, Norma; Castillo, Verónica; Abente, Sonia; Nentwich, Martin M; González-Britez, Nilsa; Laspina, Florentina; Carron, Agustín; Cibils, Diógenes; de Kaspar, Herminia Miño

    2017-08-01

    In this prospective study, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify genes encoding virulence factors (ica, atlE and mecA) in Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) isolates from the ocular microbiota of patients undergoing cataract surgery and to investigate possible changes in the CNS profile due to antibiotic prophylaxis. Between 09/2011 and 08/2013, patients undergoing cataract surgery were recruited at the Department of Ophthalmology, National University of Asuncion, Paraguay. In the eye to be operated on, patients received moxifloxacin 0.5 % eye drops four times at the day before surgery and a last drop 1 hour before surgery (T1). The other eye remained as control (T0). Conjunctival swabs were taken from both eyes 1 hour after the last drop. The presence of genes encoding biofilm formation (ica and atlE) and methicillin resistance (mecA) was detected by a multiplex PCR. Of the 162 patients (162 study eyes, 162 fellow eye as control group), 87 (53.7 %) eyes were positive for CNS at T0 yielding 96 CNS isolates; 70 eyes (43.2 %) were positive at T1 yielding 77 CNS isolates. For this study, 43 CNS isolates (44.8 %) from T0 and 45 (64.3 %) from T1 were used. Of the total isolates, 81.8 % (72/88) had at least one virulence factor gene (37/43 from T0 and 35/45 from T1) (p = 0.314). Simultaneous detection of ica and atlE genes was higher in T0 (58.0 %) than T1 (46.7 %), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.28). A high frequency of genes encoding virulence factors was observed in the coagulase-negative Staphylococcus isolates. The use of moxifloxacin did not significantly modify the CNS virulence factor profiles.

  11. Nanocrystal Additives for Advanced Lubricants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cooper, Gregory; Lohuis, James; Demas, Nicholaos

    The innovations in engine and drivetrain lubricants are mainly driven by ever more stringent regulations, which demand better fuel economy, lower carbon emission, and less pollution. Many technologies are being developed for the next generations of vehicles to achieve these goals. Even if these technologies can be adopted, there still is a significant need for a “drop-in” lubricant solution for the existing ground vehicle fleet to reap immediate fuel savings at the same time reduce the pollution. Dramatic improvements were observed when Pixelligent’s proprietary, mono-dispersed, and highly scalable metal oxide nanocrystals were added to the base oils. The dispersions inmore » base and formulated oils are clear and without any change of appearance and viscosity. However, the benefits provided by the nanocrystals were limited to the base oils due to the interference of exiting additives in the fully formulated oils. Developing a prototype formulation including the nanocrystals that can demonstrate the same improvements observed in the base oils is a critical step toward the commercialization of these advanced nano-additives. A ‘bottom-up’ approach was adopted to develop a prototype lubricant formulation to avoid the complicated interactions with the multitude of additives, only minimal numbers of most essential additives are added, step by step, into the formulation, to ensure that they are compatible with the nanocrystals and do not compromise their tribological performance. Tribological performance are characterized to come up with the best formulations that can demonstrate the commercial potential of the nano-additives.« less

  12. Sustained reduction of intraocular pressure by supraciliary delivery of brimonidine-loaded poly(lactic acid) microspheres for the treatment of glaucoma

    PubMed Central

    Chiang, B.; Kim, Y.C.; Doty, A.C.; Grossniklaus, H.E.; Schwendeman, S.P.; Prausnitz, M.R.

    2016-01-01

    Although effective drugs that lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in the management of glaucoma exist, their efficacy is limited by poor patient adherence to the prescribed eye drop regimen. To replace the need for eye drops, in this study we tested the hypothesis that IOP can be reduced for one month after a single targeted injection using a microneedle for administration of a glaucoma medication (i.e., brimonidine) formulated for sustained release in the supraciliary space of the eye adjacent to the drug’s site of action at the ciliary body. To test this hypothesis, brimonidine-loaded microspheres were formulated using poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to release brimonidine at a constant rate for 35 days and microneedles were designed to penetrate through the sclera, without penetrating into the choroid/retina, in order to target injection into the supraciliary space. A single administration of these microspheres using a hollow microneedle was performed in the eye of New Zealand White rabbits and was found to reduce IOP initially by 6 mm Hg and then by progressively smaller amounts for more than one month. All administrations were well tolerated without significant adverse events, although histological examination showed a foreign-body reaction to the microspheres. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that the highly-targeted delivery of brimonidine-loaded microspheres into the supraciliary space using a microneedle is able to reduce IOP for one month as an alternative to daily eye drops. PMID:26930266

  13. Biosurfactant Production by Bacillus salmalaya for Lubricating Oil Solubilization and Biodegradation.

    PubMed

    Dadrasnia, Arezoo; Ismail, Salmah

    2015-08-19

    This study investigated the capability of a biosurfactant produced by a novel strain of Bacillus salmalaya to enhance the biodegradation rates and bioavailability of organic contaminants. The biosurfactant produced by cultured strain 139SI showed high physicochemical properties and surface activity in the selected medium. The biosurfactant exhibited a high emulsification index and a positive result in the drop collapse test, with the results demonstrating the wetting activity of the biosurfactant and its potential to produce surface-active molecules. Strain 139SI can significantly reduce the surface tension (ST) from 70.5 to 27 mN/m, with a critical micelle concentration of 0.4%. Moreover, lubricating oil at 2% (v/v) was degraded on Day 20 (71.5). Furthermore, the biosurfactant demonstrated high stability at different ranges of salinity, pH, and temperature. Overall, the results indicated the potential use of B. salmalaya 139SI in environmental remediation processes.

  14. The coefficient of friction, particularly of ice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mills, Allan

    2008-07-01

    The static and dynamic coefficients of friction are defined, and values from 0.3 to 0.6 are quoted for common materials. These drop to about 0.15 when oil is added as a lubricant. Water ice at temperatures not far below 0 °C is remarkable for low coefficients of around 0.05 for static friction and 0.04-0.02 for dynamic friction, but these figures increase as the temperature diminishes. Reasons for the slipperiness of ice are summarized, but they are still not entirely clear. One hypothesis suggests that it is related to the transient formation of a lubricating film of liquid water produced by frictional heating. If this is the case, some composition melting a little above ambient temperatures might provide a skating rink that did not require expensive refrigeration. Various compositions have been tested, but an entirely satisfactory material has yet to be found.

  15. Brinzolamide Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... see if you should still use the same eye drop bottle.tell your doctor if you wear soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after using the medicine to put in soft contact lenses.use caution when driving or operating machinery because vision may be blurred after inserting the drops.

  16. Autologous serum eye drops for dry eye

    PubMed Central

    Pan, Qing; Angelina, Adla; Zambrano, Andrea; Marrone, Michael; Stark, Walter J; Heflin, Thomas; Tang, Li; Akpek, Esen K

    2014-01-01

    Background Theoretically, autologous serum eye drops (AS) have a potential advantage over traditional therapies based on the assumption that AS serve not only as a lacrimal substitute to provide lubrication, but also contain other biochemical components mimicking natural tears more closely. The application of AS in dry eye treatment has gained popularity as a second-line therapy in the treatment of dry eye. Published studies on the subject indicate that autologous serum could be an effective treatment for dry eye. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of AS compared to artificial tears for treating dry eye. Search methods We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (The Cochrane Library 2013, Issue 3), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE Daily, Ovid OLD MEDLINE, (January 1950 to April 2013), EMBASE (January 1980 to April 2013), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) (January 1982 to April 2013), the meta Register of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We also searched the Science Citation Index Expanded database (September 2013) and reference lists of included studies. We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 15 April 2013. Selection criteria We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which AS was compared to artificial tears in the treatment of dry eye in adults. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently screened all titles and abstracts and assessed full-text articles of potentially eligible trials. Two review authors extracted data and assessed the methodological quality and characteristics of the included trials.We contacted investigators for missing data. For both primary and secondary outcomes, we reported mean differences with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for continuous outcomes. Main results We identified four eligible RCTs in which AS was compared with artificial tear treatment or saline in individuals (n = 72 participants) with dry eye of various etiologies (Sjögren’s syndrome-related dry eye, non-Sjögren’s syndrome dry eye and postoperative dry eye induced by laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)). The quality of the evidence provided by these trials was variable. A majority of the risk of bias domains were judged to have an unclear risk of bias in two trials owing to insufficient reporting of trial characteristics. One trial was considered to have a low risk of bias for most domains while another was considered to have a high risk of bias for most domains. Incomplete outcome reporting and heterogeneity in the participant populations and follow-up periods prevented the inclusion of these trials in a summary meta-analysis. For the primary outcome, improvement in participant-reported symptoms at one month, one trial (12 participants) showed no difference in participant-reported symptoms between 20% AS and artificial tears. Based on the results of two trials in 32 participants, 20% AS may provide some improvement in participant-reported symptoms compared to traditional artificial tears after two weeks of treatment. One trial also showed positive results with a mean difference in tear breakup time (TBUT) of 2.00 seconds (95% CI 0.99 to 3.01 seconds) between 20% AS and artificial tears after two weeks, which were not similar to findings from the other trials. Based on all other objective clinical assessments included in this review, AS was not associated with improvements in aqueous tear production measured by Schirmer’s test (two trials, 33 participants), ocular surface condition with fluorescein (four trials, 72 participants) or Rose Bengal staining (three trials, 60 participants), and epithelial metaplasia by impression cytology compared to artificial tears (one trial, 12 participants). Data on adverse effects were not reported by three of the included studies. In one study, there were no serious adverse events reported with the collection of and treatment with AS. Authors’ conclusions Overall there was inconsistency in the possible benefits of AS in improving participant-reported symptoms and TBUT and lack of effect based on other objective clinical measures. Well-planned, large, high-quality RCTs are warranted, in different severities of dry eye and using standardized questionnaires to measure participant-reported outcomes and objective clinical tests as well as objective biomarkers to assess the benefit of AS therapy for dry eye. PMID:23982997

  17. Intraoperative bradycardia and hypotension associated with timolol and pilocarpine eye drops.

    PubMed

    Mishra, P; Calvey, T N; Williams, N E; Murray, G R

    1983-09-01

    A 69-yr-old man, who was concurrently being treated with pilocarpine nitrate and timolol maleate eye drops, developed a bradycardia and became hypotensive during halothane anaesthesia. Both timolol and pilocarpine were subsequently identified in a 24-h collection of urine. Timolol (but not pilocarpine) was detected in a sample of plasma removed during surgery; the plasma concentration of timolol (2.6 ng ml-1) was consistent with partial beta-adrenoceptor blockade. It is postulated that this action may have been enhanced during halothane anaesthesia with resultant bradycardia and hypotension. Pilocarpine may have had a contributory effect.

  18. Topical anesthesia-induced keratopathy after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy.

    PubMed

    Rao, Srinivas K; Wong, Victoria W Y; Cheng, Arthur C K; Lam, Philip T H; Lam, Dennis S C

    2007-08-01

    A 42-year-old woman had uneventful bilateral laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) to correct myopia. She experienced intense pain in the first postoperative week and obtained topical oxybuprocaine for pain relief. Subsequently, she developed bilateral persistent corneal epithelial defects, epithelial edema, and bullae that failed to heal with bandage contact lens and topical lubricants. Over the next 4 months, there was progressive corneal stromal thinning and descemetocele formation in 1 eye, requiring application of cyanoacrylate glue, and stromal edema and scarring in the other eye, which resulted in a visual acuity of counting fingers. Investigations did not reveal associated infection or an underlying immunological disorder; however, the patient admitted to excessive use of topical anesthetic eyedrops in the post-LASEK period. She subsequently had penetrating keratoplasty and lens extraction with IOL implantation in the right eye. The left eye healed with central corneal scarring. This case illustrates that serious sight-threatening complications may occur after LASEK due to abuse of topical anesthetic agents.

  19. Eye temperature and heart rate variability of calves disbudded with or without local anaesthetic.

    PubMed

    Stewart, M; Stafford, K J; Dowling, S K; Schaefer, A L; Webster, J R

    2008-03-18

    The possibility that pain can be detected from changes in eye temperature and heart rate variability (HRV) during disbudding was examined in thirty calves, randomly assigned to four treatments: 1) sham handling (control), 2) local anaesthetic (LA, cornual nerve injection) and sham disbudded, 3) sham LA and disbudded, 4) LA and disbudded. During a 40 min sampling period, maximum eye temperature, behavior and HRV parameters were recorded continuously. One week later, twelve disbudded calves were injected with adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) or saline and maximum eye temperature was recorded. There was a rapid drop in eye temperature during the 5 min following disbudding without LA (P<0.05). Eye temperature then increased and was higher than baseline over the remaining sampling period following both disbudding procedures (P<0.001), a response which could not be explained by increased physical activity LA increased eye temperature prior to disbudding (P<0.001). Heart rate increased (P<0.001) during the 5 min following disbudding with and without LA, however, LF/HF ratio only increased during this time (P<0.01) following disbudding without LA. Eye temperature did not change following ACTH, suggesting that hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) activity is not responsible for the changes in eye temperature following disbudding. The increase in LF/HF ratio following disbudding without LA suggests an acute sympathetic response to pain, which could be responsible for the drop in eye temperature via vasoconstriction. HRV and eye temperature together may be a useful non-invasive and more immediate index of pain than HPA activity alone.

  20. Intrastromal Delivery of Bevacizumab Using Microneedles to Treat Corneal Neovascularization

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Yoo C.; Grossniklaus, Hans E.; Edelhauser, Henry F.; Prausnitz, Mark R.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose. This study tested the hypothesis that highly targeted intrastromal delivery of bevacizumab using coated microneedles allows dramatic dose sparing compared with subconjunctival and topical delivery for treatment of corneal neovascularization. Methods. Stainless steel microneedles 400 μm in length were coated with bevacizumab. A silk suture was placed in the cornea approximately 1 mm from the limbus to induce corneal neovascularization in the eyes of New Zealand white rabbits that were divided into different groups: untreated, microneedle delivery, topical eye drop, and subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab. All drug treatments were initiated 4 days after suture placement and area of neovascularization was measured daily by digital photography for 18 days. Results. Eyes treated once with 4.4 μg bevacizumab using microneedles reduced neovascularization compared with untreated eyes by 44% (day 18). Eyes treated once with 2500 μg bevacizumab using subconjunctival injection gave similar results to microneedle-treated eyes. Eyes treated once with 4.4 μg subconjunctival bevacizumab showed no significant effect compared with untreated eyes. Eyes treated with 52,500 μg bevacizumab by eye drops three times per day for 14 days reduced the neovascularization area compared with untreated eyes by 6% (day 18), which was significantly less effective than the single microneedle treatment. Visual exam and histological analysis showed no observable effect of microneedle treatment on corneal transparency or microanatomical structure. Conclusions. This study shows that microneedles can target drug delivery to corneal stroma in a minimally invasive way and demonstrates effective suppression of corneal neovascularization after suture-induced injury using a much lower dose compared with conventional methods. PMID:25212779

  1. An evaluation of Retaine™ ophthalmic emulsion in the management of tear film stability and ocular surface staining in patients diagnosed with dry eye.

    PubMed

    Ousler, George; Devries, Douglas K; Karpecki, Paul M; Ciolino, Joseph B

    2015-01-01

    A single-center, open-label study consisting of two visits over the course of approximately 2 weeks was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Retaine™ ophthalmic emulsion in improving the signs and symptoms of dry eye. Forty-two subjects were enrolled and received 1-2 drops twice daily of Retaine™ beginning at the first visit (day 1) and ending at the second visit. Subjects were instructed to complete a symptomatology diary twice daily prior to drop instillation through the morning of the second visit. Ocular sign and symptom assessments, visual acuity procedures, and comfort assessments were conducted during both visits. A statistically significant reduction was observed in mean breakup area on the second visit between the predose time and the postdose time (P=0.026). On the second visit, subjects had significantly less corneal fluorescein staining in the superior (P=0.002), central (P=0.017), corneal sum (P=0.011), and all ocular regions combined (P=0.038) than on the first visit. On the second visit, statistically significant reductions in dryness (P<0.001), grittiness (P=0.0217), ocular discomfort (P=0.0017), and all symptoms (P<0.001) were also seen as measured by the Ora Calibra™ Ocular Discomfort and 4-Symptom Questionnaire (0-5 scale). Subjects reported a statistically significant improvement in their abilities to work with a computer at night (P=0.044). Mean drop comfort scores ranged from 1.29-1.81 on the Ora Calibra™ 0-10 Drop Comfort Scale, on which 0 is very comfortable and 10 is very uncomfortable. Retaine™ demonstrates promising results as a novel artificial tear option for individuals suffering from dry eye. The unique mechanism of action of Retaine™ provides enhanced comfort and improves the quality of life of dry eye subjects while reducing the ocular signs of dry eye.

  2. Bromfenac Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... minutes after using the medication to replace your lenses.tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.You should know that bromfenac eye drops may slow healing of the eye after surgery. Call your doctor right away if your pain and swelling do not improve.

  3. [Pressure-reducing effect of latanoprost 0.005%].

    PubMed

    Albach, C; Wachsmuth, E D; Velte, K; Dekker, P; Robert, Y

    1998-05-01

    Earlier studies in monkeys have shown that latanoprost 0.005% lowers the IOP by improving the uveoscleral Outflow. We wanted to know if this is also the case in the human eye. We used our new aqueous humor outflow test with 2-nitrophenyl-acetate in 9 healthy human volunteers, mean age 32 +/- 8.3 years. They were measured before and 12 h after receiving one drop of latanoprost 0.005% in one eye, randomly chosen. The ocular Photometer was used to quantify the disappearance of the dye out of the anterior chamber. The half-life time of the dye is shortened after latanoprost 0.005%. It is significantly correlated to the pressure lowering effect of latanoprost 0.005% (r2 = 0.5968). The dye-dilution technique proves that latanoprost 0.005% influences the outflow of the human eye. The better the outflow, the greater the pressure drop in the eye. The experiment nicely shows that photometric quantification of 2-nitrophenyl-acetate is a simple, reliable test for the knowledge of the aqueous humor outflow.

  4. Degree and duration of corneal anesthesia after topical application of 0.4% oxybuprocaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution in ophthalmically normal dogs.

    PubMed

    Douet, Jean-Yves; Michel, Julien; Regnier, Alain

    2013-10-01

    To assess the anesthetic efficacy and local tolerance of topically applied 0.4% oxybuprocaine ophthalmic solution to in dogs and compare its effects with those of 1% tetracaine solution. 34 ophthalmically normal Beagles. Dogs were assigned to 2 groups, and baseline corneal touch threshold (CTT) was measured bilaterally with a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer. Dogs of group 1 (n = 22) received a single drop of 0.4% oxybuprocaine ophthalmic solution in one eye and saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control treatment) in the contralateral eye. Dogs of group 2 (n = 12) received a single drop of 0.4% oxybuprocaine ophthalmic solution in one eye and 1% tetracaine ophthalmic solution in the contralateral eye. The CTT of each eye was measured 1 and 5 minutes after topical application and then at 5-minute intervals until 75 minutes after topical application. CTT changes over time differed significantly between oxybuprocaine-treated and control eyes. After instillation of oxybuprocaine, maximal corneal anesthesia (CTT = 0) was achieved within 1 minute, and CTT was significantly decreased from 1 to 45 minutes, compared with the baseline value. No significant difference in onset, depth, and duration of corneal anesthesia was found between oxybuprocaine-treated and tetracaine-treated eyes. Conjunctival hyperemia and chemosis were detected more frequently in tetracaine-treated eyes than in oxybuprocaine-treated eyes. Topical application of oxybuprocaine and tetracaine similarly reduced corneal sensitivity in dogs, but oxybuprocaine was less irritating to the conjunctiva than was tetracaine.

  5. The precautionary principle: what is the risk of reusing disposable drops in routine ophthalmology consultations and what are the costs of reducing this risk to zero?

    PubMed

    Somner, J E A; Cavanagh, D J; Wong, K K Y; Whitelaw, M; Thomson, T; Mansfield, D

    2010-02-01

    Instilling eye drops is a ubiquitous procedure in eye clinics. This audit aimed to assess the risk of contamination of disposable droppers and to quantify the financial and waste implications of reducing this risk to zero by using disposable droppers only once. A total of 100 disposable Minims were used to place one drop in each eye of 70 patients. The dropper tip was then cultured for aerobic and anaerobic microbes. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus was cultured from five samples. The contamination rate per drop application was 2.5%. The risk of cross-contamination with coagulase-negative staphylococcus would be between 1 : 400 and 1 : 80 if the bottle was reused once or six times. Reducing this risk to zero costs between pound2.75 and pound4.6 million per annum and generates between 6.85 and 11.42 more tonnes of paper waste and between 12.69 and 21.15 more tonnes of plastic waste than a strategy that reuses the disposable dropper. Reducing the risk of dropper contamination and subsequent cross infection has financial and environmental costs. As exposure to coagulase-negative staphylococcus is not necessarily associated with infection, it would be useful to decide acceptable risk levels for a given cost to maximise both cost-effectiveness and patient safety.

  6. Drop impact on a solid surface at reduced air pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Langley, Kenneth; Li, E. Q.; Tian, Y. S.; Hicks, P. D.; Thoroddsen, S. T.

    2017-11-01

    When a drop approaches a solid surface at atmospheric pressure, the lubrication pressure within the air forms a dimple in the bottom of the drop resulting in the entrainment of an air disc upon impact. Reducing the ambient air pressure below atmospheric has been shown to suppress splashing and the compression of the intervening air could be significant on the air disc formation; however, to date there have been no experimental studies showing how the entrainment of the air disc is affected by reducing the ambient pressure. Using ultra-high-speed interferometry, at up to 5 Mfps, we investigate droplet impacts onto dry solid surfaces in reduced ambient air pressures with particular interest in what happens as rarified gas effects become important, i.e. when the thickness of the air layer is of the same magnitude as the mean free path of the air molecules. Experimental data will be presented showing novel phenomena and comparisons will be drawn with theoretical models from the literature.

  7. The Eye Drop Preservative Benzalkonium Chloride Potently Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Preferentially Affects LHON Mutant Cells

    PubMed Central

    Datta, Sandipan; Baudouin, Christophe; Brignole-Baudouin, Francoise; Denoyer, Alexandre; Cortopassi, Gino A.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) is the most commonly used eye drop preservative. Benzalkonium chloride has been associated with toxic effects such as “dry eye” and trabecular meshwork degeneration, but the underlying biochemical mechanism of ocular toxicity by BAK is unclear. In this study, we propose a mechanistic basis for BAK's adverse effects. Method Mitochondrial O2 consumption rates of human corneal epithelial primary cells (HCEP), osteosarcoma cybrid cells carrying healthy (control) or Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) mutant mtDNA [11778(G>A)], were measured before and after acute treatment with BAK. Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and cell viability were also measured in the BAK-treated control: LHON mutant and human-derived trabecular meshwork cells (HTM3). Results Benzalkonium chloride inhibited mitochondrial ATP (IC50, 5.3 μM) and O2 consumption (IC50, 10.9 μM) in a concentration-dependent manner, by directly targeting mitochondrial complex I. At its pharmaceutical concentrations (107–667 μM), BAK inhibited mitochondrial function >90%. In addition, BAK elicited concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to cybrid cells (IC50, 22.8 μM) and induced apoptosis in HTM3 cells at similar concentrations. Furthermore, we show that BAK directly inhibits mitochondrial O2 consumption in HCEP cells (IC50, 3.8 μM) at 50-fold lower concentrations than used in eye drops, and that cells bearing mitochondrial blindness (LHON) mutations are further sensitized to BAK's mitotoxic effect. Conclusions Benzalkonium chloride inhibits mitochondria of human corneal epithelial cells and cells bearing LHON mutations at pharmacologically relevant concentrations, and we suggest this is the basis of BAK's ocular toxicity. Prescribing BAK-containing eye drops should be avoided in patients with mitochondrial deficiency, including LHON patients, LHON carriers, and possibly primary open-angle glaucoma patients. PMID:28444329

  8. Early signal of diverted use of tropicamide eye drops in France.

    PubMed

    Ponté, Camille; Pi, Christian; Palmaro, Aurore; Jouanjus, Emilie; Lapeyre-Mestre, Maryse

    2017-08-01

    Tropicamide is a mydriatic drug used as eye-drops for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. From 2013, a diverted use by intravenous route has been suspected in Eastern Europe in opioids users. To date, no signal of misuse has been identified in France. The aims of this study were to investigate any early signals of a diverted use of tropicamide eye drops and to collect information regarding motives for the misuse and tropicamide-induced effects. Information was obtained at three levels: (1) at regional level (Midi-Pyrénées area), from reimbursement data and pharmacists' reports on suspicious requests; (2) at national level: from reimbursement data and prescriptions suggesting possible abuse from the OSIAP (Ordonnances Suspectes, Indicateur d'Abus Possible) survey; and (3) at international level: from VigiBase ® reports and Web sources. Beta-blocker eye-drops were used as comparators. In France, in 2014-2015, 17 (0.91%, 95% CI [0.53-1.46%]) falsified prescriptions involving tropicamide were identified in the OSIAP survey (compared with 0%, 95% CI [0-0.19%] for beta-blockers). Moreover, 37 other suspicious prescriptions were presented in 2015 (notified in 2016). In Midi-Pyrénées, seven patients aged 35-49 were reimbursed for 19-45 vials of 10 ml, in a year. Since September 2014, the regional Addictovigilance Centre has received 91 notifications of suspicious requests to obtain tropicamide. In VigiBase ® , two cases were identified but none in France. An increased interest in tropicamide-related Internet searches was observed from Russia and Ukraine. These results represent the first early warnings of a tropicamide diverted use in France. Tropicamide abusers would seek euphoria or hallucinations. The high doses involved in intravenous administration could lead to serious complications. © 2017 The British Pharmacological Society.

  9. Rapid diagnosis of acanthamoeba keratitis using non-nutrient agar with a lawn of E. coli.

    PubMed

    Borin, Samuel; Feldman, Ilan; Ken-Dror, Shifra; Briscoe, Daniel

    2013-02-27

    A patient presented with a corneal foreign body in his only eye. He was treated with prophylactic antibiotics and sent home, but deteriorated. He returned to the hospital 5 days later, and on slit-lamp examination, there was ciliary injection, corneal oedema and a 1 mm × 1 mm corneal abscess with mild anterior uveitis. Corneal scrapings were taken for culture on a non-nutrient agar with a lawn of Escherichia coli, on chocolate agar and on blood agar. He was treated with fortified gentamicin and cefazolin drops. He improved and was discharged 4 days after admission. On day 5, the culture results showed acanthamoeba. He was brought back to the hospital and treated with hourly chlorhexidine drops, ofloxacin six times daily and neomycin/dexamethasone drops once daily. On day 7, he was discharged to continue treatment at home, at which time his visual acuity in that eye was 6/9, and slit-lamp examination showed punctate keratitis and a stromal opacity with mild peripheral infiltration. Culture on non-nutrient agar with a lawn of E. coli is a rapid, reliable and less invasive alternative to corneal biopsy for the diagnosis of acanthamoeba infection. We suggest using this method where acanthamoeba is suspected. Owing to the risk of corneal abscess, orthokeratology should be avoided in an amblyopic patient or an only eye. Acanthamoeba infection may be masked by other eye diseases.

  10. PRGF exerts more potent proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects than autologous serum on a cell culture inflammatory model.

    PubMed

    Anitua, E; Muruzabal, F; de la Fuente, M; Riestra, A; Merayo-Lloves, J; Orive, G

    2016-10-01

    Ocular graft versus host disease (oGVHD) is part of a systemic inflammatory disease that usually affects ocular surface tissues manifesting as a dry eye syndrome. Current treatments provide unsatisfactory results. Blood-derived products, like plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) emerge as a potential therapy for this disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tissue regeneration and anti-inflammatory capability of PRGF, an autologous platelet enriched plasma eye-drop, compared to autologous serum (AS) obtained from oGVHD patients on ocular surface cells cultured in a pro-inflammatory environment. PRGF and AS were obtained from four GVHD patients. Cell proliferation and inflammation markers, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), were measured in corneal and conjunctival fibroblastic cells cultured under pro-inflammatory conditions and after treatment with PRGF or AS eye drops. Moreover, cell proliferation increased after treatment with PRGF and AS, though this enhancement in the case of keratocytes was significantly higher with PRGF. PRGF eye drops showed a significant reduction of both inflammatory markers with respect to the initial inflammatory situation and to the AS treatment. Our results concluded that PRGF exerts more potent regenerative and anti-inflammatory effects than autologous serum on ocular surface fibroblasts treated with pro-inflammatory IL-1β and TNFα. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Curvature singularity and film-skating during drop impact

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duchemin, Laurent; Josserand, Christophe

    2011-09-01

    We study the influence of the surrounding gas in the dynamics of drop impact on a smooth surface. We use an axisymmetric model for which both the gas and the liquid are incompressible; lubrication regime applies for the gas film dynamics and the liquid viscosity is neglected. In the absence of surface tension a finite time singularity whose properties are analysed is formed and the liquid touches the solid on a circle. When surface tension is taken into account, a thin jet emerges from the zone of impact, skating above a thin gas layer. The thickness of the air film underneath this jet is always smaller than the mean free path in the gas suggesting that the liquid film eventually wets the surface. We finally suggest an aerodynamical instability mechanism for the splash.

  12. Influence of glucocorticosteroids on the biomechanical properties of in-vivo rabbit cornea.

    PubMed

    Yu, Ji-guo; Bao, Fang-jun; Joda, Akram; Fu, Xun-an; Zhou, Shi; Wang, Jing; Hu, Xiu-li; Wang, Qin-mei; Elsheikh, Ahmed

    2014-01-01

    Understanding corneal biomechanical responses during long-term glucocorticosteroids administration is important in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to investigate the biomechanical influence of fluorometholone 0.1% eye drops on rabbit cornea. Thirty-eight Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups; a fluorometholone group, a supernatant group and a blank control group. For each rabbit in fluorometholone group, one cornea was treated with fluorometholone 0.1% eye drops four times a day for 8 weeks, while corneas of rabbits in supernatant group were treated in the same frequency with supernatant fraction centrifuged from fluorometholone 0.1% eye drops. The rabbits in the blank control group were not given any treatment. At the end of the 8 week observation period, the rabbits were euthanized and the eyes immediately enucleated and prepared for inflation testing. The experimental pressure-deformation data was used to derive the stress-strain behavior of each eye using an inverse modeling procedure. Comparisons of mechanical stiffness of corneas were conducted among the three groups to determine the influence of fluorometholone. The results showed that corneal stiffness decreased as the fluorometholone administration time prolonged. Comparisons of tangent modulus indicated average stiffness reductions of 34.2% and 33.5% in the fluorometholone group compared to the supernatant and control groups, respectively, at the end of the observation period. The stiffness-reduction effect of fluorometholone on the cornea should be considered in clinical management, especially when administrating it to biomechanically weakened corneas, such as after refractive surgeries and in cases of keratoconus. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  13. Glycerogelatin-based ocular inserts of aceclofenac: physicochemical, drug release studies and efficacy against prostaglandin E₂-induced ocular inflammation.

    PubMed

    Mathurm, Manish; Gilhotra, Ritu Mehra

    2011-01-01

    An attempt has been made in the present study to formulate soluble ocular inserts of aceclofenac to facilitate the bioavailability of the drug into the eye, as no eye drop solution could be formulated. Glycero-gelatin ocular inserts/films were prepared and physicochemical parameters and drug release profiles of glycerol-gelatin films of aceclofenac were compared with surface cross-linked films of similar compositions. Ocular irritation of the developed formulation was also checked by HET-CAM test and efficacy of the developed formulation against prostaglandin-induced ocular inflammation in rabbit eye was determined. The non-cross-linked films showed poor mechanical, physicochemical properties, and very little potential of sustaining drug release, however cross-linking the films enhanced tensile strength by 70%, but elasticity decreased by 95%. The cross-linked ocular inserts showed less swelling than non-cross-linked. Formulation AF8 (20% gelatin and 70% glycerin, treated by cross-linker for 1 h) demonstrated the longest drug release for 24 h. As per the kinetic models all films showed a constant drug release with Higuchi diffusion mechanism. Formulation was found to be practically non-irritant. The optimized formulation was tested and compared with eye drops of aceclofenac for anti-inflammatory activity in rabbits against PGE₂-induced inflammation. In vivo studies with developed formulation indicated a significant inhibition of PGE₂-induced PMN migration as compared to eye drops. In conclusion, ocular inserts of aceclofenac was found promising as it achieved sustained drug release and better pharmacodynamic activity.

  14. Computer vision syndrome (CVS) - Thermographic Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Llamosa-Rincón, L. E.; Jaime-Díaz, J. M.; Ruiz-Cardona, D. F.

    2017-01-01

    The use of computers has reported an exponential growth in the last decades, the possibility of carrying out several tasks for both professional and leisure purposes has contributed to the great acceptance by the users. The consequences and impact of uninterrupted tasks with computers screens or displays on the visual health, have grabbed researcher’s attention. When spending long periods of time in front of a computer screen, human eyes are subjected to great efforts, which in turn triggers a set of symptoms known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Most common of them are: blurred vision, visual fatigue and Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) due to unappropriate lubrication of ocular surface when blinking decreases. An experimental protocol was de-signed and implemented to perform thermographic studies on healthy human eyes during exposure to dis-plays of computers, with the main purpose of comparing the existing differences in temperature variations of healthy ocular surfaces.

  15. CFD analysis of turboprop engine oil cooler duct for best rate of climb condition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kalia, Saurabh; CA, Vinay; Hegde, Suresh M.

    2016-09-01

    Turboprop engines are widely used in commuter category airplanes. Aircraft Design bureaus routinely conduct the flight tests to confirm the performance of the system. The lubrication system of the engine is designed to provide a constant supply of clean lubrication oil to the engine bearings, the reduction gears, the torque-meter, the propeller and the accessory gearbox. The oil lubricates, cools and also conducts foreign material to the oil filter where it is removed from further circulation. Thus a means of cooling the engine oil must be provided and a suitable oil cooler (OC) and ducting system was selected and designed for this purpose. In this context, it is relevant to study and analyse behaviour of the engine oil cooler system before commencing actual flight tests. In this paper, the performance of the oil cooler duct with twin flush NACA inlet housed inside the nacelle has been studied for aircraft best rate of climb (ROC) condition using RANS based SST K-omega model by commercial software ANSYS Fluent 13.0. From the CFD analysis results, it is found that the mass flow rate captured and pressure drop across the oil cooler for the best ROC condition is meeting the oil cooler manufacturer requirements thus, the engine oil temperature is maintained within prescribed limits.

  16. Motor vehicle technology:Mobility for prosperity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1985-01-01

    This book presents the papers given at a conference on internal combustion engines for vehicles. Topics considered at the conference included combustion chambers, the lubrication of turbocharged engines, oil filters, fuel consumption, traffic control, crashworthiness, brakes, acceleration, unleaded gasoline, methanol fuels, pressure drop, safety regulations, tire vibration, detergents, fuel economy, ceramics in engines, steels, catalytic converters, fuel additives, heat exchangers, pump systems, emissions control, fuel injection systems, noise pollution control, natural gas fuels, assembly plant productivity, aerodynamics, torsion, electronics, and automatic transmissions.

  17. [Clinical characteristics of short tear film breakup time (BUT) -type dry eye].

    PubMed

    Yamamoto, Yuji; Yokoi, Norihiko; Higashihara, Hisayo; Inagaki, Kayoko; Sonomura, Yukiko; Komuro, Aoi; Kinoshita, Shigeru

    2012-12-01

    To evaluate the clinical characteristics and management of short tear film breakup time (BUT) -type dry eye. Clinical background and post-treatment changes of symptoms in 77 patients with short BUT -type dry eye were investigated. Treatment consisted of artificial-tear eye-drop instillation and, if necessary, the addition of a low-density-level steroid, hyaluronic acid, a low-density-level cyclopentolate prepared by ourselves and punctal plugs inserted into the upper and lower lacrimal puncta. There were three times more women than men among the patients, and the peak age of occurrence was in the twenties in the men and in the sixties in the women. Our findings show that visual display terminal (VDT) work, contact lens (CL) wear, and changes in the sex hormones may initiate subjective symptoms. Some patients had simultaneous conjunctivochalasis, allergic conjunctivitis, and meibomian gland dysfunction. Nineteen patients (24.7%) were effectively treated with eye-drop instillation alone. Thirty-seven patients (48.1%) required punctal-plug insertion, which was completely effective in only 8 of them (21.6%). Mainly young men and menopausal women contract short BUT -type dry eye. Changes in sex hormones, VDT work and CL wear may be causal, and the disease cannot be controlled by eyedrop and punctal-plug treatment alone.

  18. Microprocessor controlled compliance monitor for eye drop medication.

    PubMed

    Hermann, M M; Diestelhorst, M

    2006-07-01

    The effectiveness of a self administered eye drop medication can only be assessed if the compliance is known. The authors studied the specificity and sensitivity of a new microprocessor controlled monitoring device. The monitoring system was conducted by an 8 bit microcontroller for data acquisition and storage with sensors measuring applied pressure to the bottle, temperature, and vertical position. 10 devices were mounted under commercial 10 ml eye drops. Test subjects had to note down each application manually. A total of 15 applications each within 3 days was intended. Manual reports confirmed 15 applications for each of the 10 bottles. The monitoring devices detected a total of 149 events; one was missed; comprising a sensitivity of 99%. Two devices registered three applications, which did not appear in the manual protocols, indicating a specificity of about 98%. Refrigerated bottles were correctly identified. The battery lifetime exceeded 60 days. The new monitoring device demonstrated a high reliability of the collected compliance data. The important, yet often unknown, influence of compliance in patient care and clinical trials shall be illuminated by the new device. This may lead to a better adapted patient care. Studies will profit from a higher credibility and results will be less influenced by non-compliance.

  19. Eye care for patients receiving neuromuscular blocking agents or propofol during mechanical ventilation.

    PubMed

    Lenart, S B; Garrity, J A

    2000-05-01

    The presence of a corneal reflex and the ability to maintain eye closure are instrumental in protecting the cornea. Use of neuromuscular blocking agents or propofol can result in impaired eyelid closure and loss of corneal reflex, leading to corneal exposure. The cornea is then at risk for drying, infection, and scarring, which may lead to permanent visual loss. To determine whether applying artificial tear ointment to the eyes of paralyzed or heavily sedated patients receiving mechanical ventilation decreases the prevalence of exposure keratitis more than does passive closure of the eyelid. A prospective, randomized control trial was done. The sample was 50 patients in the intensive care unit receiving either neuromuscular blocking agents or propofol during mechanical ventilation. In each patient, artificial tear ointment was applied to one eye; passive closure of the eyelid was used for the other eye (control eye). Nine patients had evidence of exposure keratitis in the untreated eye, and 2 had corneal abrasions in both the treated and the control eyes. The remaining 39 patients did not have corneal abrasions in either eye. Use of the artificial tear ointment was more effective in preventing corneal exposure than was passive eyelid closure (P = .004). Eye care with a lubricating ointment on a regular, set schedule can effectively reduce the prevalence of corneal abrasions in patients who are either paralyzed or heavily sedated and thus can help prevent serious complications such as corneal ulceration, infection, and visual loss.

  20. The effect of mitomycin C trabeculectomy on the progression of visual field defect in normal-tension glaucoma.

    PubMed

    Hagiwara, Y; Yamamoto, T; Kitazawa, Y

    2000-03-01

    We investigated in a prospective fashion the visual prognosis and complications in normal-tension glaucoma following unilateral trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C. Trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C was carried out unilaterally in 21 cases of normal-tension glaucoma. Intraocular pressure (IOP), visual prognosis, and complications were compared between the operated eyes and the non-operated fellow eyes. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 7 years. The IOP dropped significantly from 14.8+/-1.8 mmHg (mean +/- SD) to 9.6+/-3.9 mmHg in the operated eyes (P=0.0002, Wilcoxon signed-rank test), but did not drop in the non-operated eyes. The mean deviation (MD) was -12.69+/-6.41 dB preoperatively and -14.70+/-5.49 dB at the last clinic visit in the operated eyes, whereas in non-operated eyes it was -7.85+/-5.65 dB and -11.15+/-5.62 dB, respectively. The MD deteriorated significantly in both operated and non-operated eyes (operated eyes P=0.0239, non-operated eyes: P=0.0002; Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The MD slope was -0.37+/-0.60 dB/year and -0.71+/-0.89 dB/year for the operated and non-operated eyes, respectively (P=0.5243, Mann-Whitney U-test). Visual field deterioration was more frequently observed in the non-operated eyes by a pointwise definition of the progression (P<0.05, McNemar test). Visual acuity deteriorated in 6 of the operated eyes and in 5 of the non-operated eyes. Cataract developed in 6 (29%) of the 21 operated eyes, while among the non-operated eyes 4 (19%) developed cataract. Mitomycin C trabeculectomy is effective in delaying progression of visual field defect in normal-tension glaucoma, but complications may arise and cause some visual disturbance.

  1. Safety and efficacy of autologous serum eye drop for treatment of dry eyes in graft-versus-host disease.

    PubMed

    Azari, Amir A; Karadag, Remzi; Kanavi, Mozhgan Rezaei; Nehls, Sarah; Barney, Neal; Kim, Kyungmann; Longo, Walter; Hematti, Peiman; Juckett, Mark

    2017-06-01

    To evaluate the treatment of autologous serum eye drops (ASED) on dry eyes in patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). A retrospective chart review of 35 patients with a history of ocular GVHD following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that used ASED to alleviate dry eye symptoms was performed. Patients were categorized into three different groups. If patients had available ophthalmic data before and after starting treatment was group 1 (n = 14), had available ophthalmic data after starting treatment in group 2 (n = 10) and had available ophthalmic data before treatment or did not have any data after starting treatment in group 3 (n = 11). Data were collected on patient's age, gender, primary diagnosis, visual acuity and fluorescein corneal staining were collected on individual eyes in order to evaluate the efficacy of the ASED on alleviating dry eye-related signs and symptoms. No adverse ocular effect from the ASED was found in our series (except one fungal keratitis). All patients reported either improvement (55%) or stability (45%) in their ocular symptoms upon the use of ASED. In patients with available data before and after starting treatment, the corneal staining score improved by a median of 1 (p = 0.003) and the LogMAR visual acuity had a non-significant improvement. In our study, ASED used by patients with ocular GVHD were both safe and effective. ASED should be considered in patients with GVHD who suffer from dry eyes.

  2. Effects of diquafosol sodium eye drops on tear film stability in short BUT type of dry eye.

    PubMed

    Shimazaki-Den, Seika; Iseda, Hiroyuki; Dogru, Murat; Shimazaki, Jun

    2013-08-01

    To investigate the effects of diquafosol sodium (DQS) eye drops, a purinergic P2Y2 receptor agonist, on tear film stability in patients with unstable tear film (UTF). Two prospective studies were conducted. One was an exploratory nonrandomized trial on 39 eyes with dry eye symptoms and short tear film break-up time (BUT), but without epithelial damage. Changes in symptoms, BUT, Schirmer value, and ocular surface fluorescein staining (FS) scores were studied for 3 months. The other was a randomized clinical trial of DQS and artificial tears (AT) in 17 eyes with short BUT. Eyes with decreased Schirmer values (≤ 5 mm) were excluded. Changes in symptoms, BUT, FS scores, and tear film stability using continuous corneal topographic analysis were studied for 4 weeks. In the exploratory study, while Schirmer values were not significantly increased, significant improvements in symptoms and BUT were noted at both 1 and 3 months. In the randomized clinical trial, significant improvements in symptoms were noted in the DQS group, but not in the AT group, at 2 weeks. BUT was significantly prolonged in the DQS group at 4 weeks but not in the AT group. No significant changes were noted in FS scores or tear film stability. DQS improved subjective symptoms and prolonged BUT in eyes with UTF not associated with low tear secretion and ocular surface epithelial damage. Because many patients who have UTF are refractory to conventional treatments, DQS may offer benefits in the treatment of dry eyes.

  3. The physical properties of generic latanoprost ophthalmic solutions are not identical.

    PubMed

    Kolko, Miriam; Koch Jensen, Peter

    2017-06-01

    To compare various characteristics of Xalatan ® and five generic latanoprost ophthalmic solutions. Drop size, volume, pH values, buffer capacity, viscosity, hardness of bottles and costs were determined. Drop sizes were measured in triplicates by micropipettes, and the number of drops counted in three separate bottles of each generic product was determined. pH values were measured in triplicates by a calibrated pH meter. Buffer capacity was exploited by titrating known quantities of strong base into 2.5 ml of each brand and interpolated to neutral pH. Kinematic viscosity was determined by linear regression of timed gravity flow from a vertical syringe through a 21-G cannula. The hardness of the bottles was evaluated by gradually increasing tension on a hook placed around each bottle until a drop was expelled reading the tension on an attached spring scale. Drop sizes and the number of drops in the bottles varied significantly between the generic drugs. The control value of pH in the brand version (Xalatan ® ) was markedly lower compared to the generic latanoprost products. Titration of Xalatan ® to neutrality required substantially more NaOH compared to the generic latanoprost products. Finally, the viscosity revealed a significant variability between brands. Remarkable differences were found in bottle shapes, bottle hardness and costs of the latanoprost generics. Generic latanoprost eye drops should not be considered identical to the original brand version as regards to drop size, volumes, pH values, buffer capacity, viscosity, hardness of bottles and costs. It is likely that these issues affect compliance and intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effect. Therefore, re-evaluation of the requirements for introducing generic eye drops seems reasonable. © 2017 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Evaluation of microbial contamination of canine plasma eyedropper bottles following clinical use in canine patients.

    PubMed

    Strauss, Rachel A; Genschel, Ulrike; Allbaugh, Rachel A; Sebbag, Lionel; Ben-Shlomo, Gil

    2018-05-24

    To investigate microbial contamination of canine plasma eye drops when used clinically and to compare the effect of two different eyedropper bottles on contamination rate. Forty-six bottles containing plasma were randomly dispensed for use on 42 dogs with ulcerative keratitis. Of these, 23 were standard eyedropper bottles and 23 were Novelia ® bottles designed to prevent contamination. After use for up to 2 weeks, samples for bacterial culture were obtained from a drop of plasma, the bottle tip, the plasma inside the bottle, and the corneal surface. Fungal culture was performed from a drop of plasma. The overall microbial contamination rate was 17.4% (8/46 bottles); however, only one bottle had growth from the plasma inside the bottle. There was a lower contamination rate of Novelia ® bottles (3/23 = 13.0%) compared to standard bottles (5/23 = 21.7%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .57). There were also no significant differences in contamination rate of bottles used greater than 7 days compared to less than or equal to 7 days, or in bottles used greater than 4 times daily compared to 4 times daily or less. Three corneal samples (6.5%) had bacterial growth, but none matched contamination from the bottles. Novelia ® bottles may decrease contamination of plasma eye drops used clinically. However, while microbial contamination of plasma bottles was documented, no clinically relevant complications were observed. This study supports safe use of plasma eye drops for up to 2 weeks when refrigerated and dispensed from either Novelia ® or standard eyedropper bottles. © 2018 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

  5. Mitochondria-targeted plastoquinone derivatives as tools to interrupt execution of the aging program. 4. Age-related eye disease. SkQ1 returns vision to blind animals.

    PubMed

    Neroev, V V; Archipova, M M; Bakeeva, L E; Fursova, A Zh; Grigorian, E N; Grishanova, A Yu; Iomdina, E N; Ivashchenko, Zh N; Katargina, L A; Khoroshilova-Maslova, I P; Kilina, O V; Kolosova, N G; Kopenkin, E P; Korshunov, S S; Kovaleva, N A; Novikova, Yu P; Philippov, P P; Pilipenko, D I; Robustova, O V; Saprunova, V B; Senin, I I; Skulachev, M V; Sotnikova, L F; Stefanova, N A; Tikhomirova, N K; Tsapenko, I V; Shchipanova, A I; Zinovkin, R A; Skulachev, V P

    2008-12-01

    Mitochondria-targeted cationic plastoquinone derivative SkQ1 (10-(6'-plastoquinonyl) decyltriphenylphosphonium) has been investigated as a potential tool for treating a number of ROS-related ocular diseases. In OXYS rats suffering from a ROS-induced progeria, very small amounts of SkQ1 (50 nmol/kg per day) added to food were found to prevent development of age-induced cataract and retinopathies of the eye, lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation in skeletal muscles, as well as a decrease in bone mineralization. Instillation of drops of 250 nM SkQ1 reversed cataract and retinopathies in 3-12-month-old (but not in 24-month-old) OXYS rats. In rabbits, experimental uveitis and glaucoma were induced by immunization with arrestin and injections of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose to the eye anterior sector, respectively. Uveitis was found to be prevented or reversed by instillation of 250 nM SkQ1 drops (four drops per day). Development of glaucoma was retarded by drops of 5 microM SkQ1 (one drop daily). SkQ1 was tested in veterinarian practice. A totally of 271 animals (dogs, cats, and horses) suffering from retinopathies, uveitis, conjunctivitis, and cornea diseases were treated with drops of 250 nM SkQ1. In 242 cases, positive therapeutic effect was obvious. Among animals suffering from retinopathies, 89 were blind. In 67 cases, vision returned after SkQ1 treatment. In ex vivo studies of cultivated posterior retina sector, it was found that 20 nM SkQ1 strongly decreased macrophagal transformation of the retinal pigmented epithelial cells, an effect which might explain some of the above SkQ1 activities. It is concluded that low concentrations of SkQ1 are promising in treating retinopathies, cataract, uveitis, glaucoma, and some other ocular diseases.

  6. German register for glaucoma patients with dry eye. I. Basic outcome with respect to dry eye.

    PubMed

    Erb, Carl; Gast, Ulrike; Schremmer, Dieter

    2008-11-01

    The purpose of this register was to determine the links between glaucoma, age, concomitant disease, medication, and dry eye in a large group of glaucoma patients. A total of 20,506 patients from 900 centers across Germany were included. The first 30 consecutive glaucoma patients at each center were recruited. Epidemiological data as well as information on glaucoma, medication, concomitant diseases, dry eye, and local symptoms were elicited by means of a questionnaire. We analyzed primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEX), and pigmentary glaucoma (PDG). According to the register data, more women develop dry eye and glaucoma than men (56.9 vs. 45.7%). The most frequent concomitant systemic diseases were hypertension (48.1%), diabetes mellitus (22.5%), and dry mouth, nose, and skin (11.3%). As expected, the highest incidence of dry eye was found in those patients with dry mouth, nose, and skin. Dry eye occurred with dissimilar frequencies in association with the various glaucoma types: PEX>POAG>PDG. The incidence of dry eye increases with age. The gender difference in the occurrence of dry eye becomes apparent from the age of 50. Dry eye occurred more frequently when three or more antiglaucoma drugs were used and increased with the duration of glaucoma disease. We publish the first results from the German Glaucoma and Dry Eye Register. We found that the occurrence of dry eye is linked to several factors. Thus, the type of glaucoma has an impact on the risk of dry eye. The quantity of eye drops applied also plays a role in the development of the dry eye syndrome if more than three medications are used. While POAG is usually treated with one drug, PEX and PDG tend to be treated with multiple drugs. The gender difference in the occurrence of dry eye becomes apparent from the age 50 years. Because of the vicious circle of dry eye, antiglaucoma eye drops containing benzalkonium chloride compromises patient compliance. The results of the register are therefore of key relevance for the care of glaucoma patients.

  7. Adjuvant effect of Chakshushya Rasayana with beta-blocker eye drops in the management of progressive glaucomatous optic neuropathy: An open-label randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Dhiman, K S; Adhoor, Veeranagouda S; Agarwal, Riju; Mehta, Amit J

    2016-01-01

    Primary open angle glaucoma is an insidious and chronic vision-threatening eye ailment due to neuro-retino-optic nerve degeneration, which may be due to the raised intraocular pressure (IOP) or due to independent factors. Management of glaucoma is mainly concentrated on lowering IOP that requires lifetime topical medication, different ocular medicaments for lowering of IOP, and surgical interventions, but it has its own limitations to control the progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON), and this is the reason behind the use of alternative neuroprotective adjuvants. To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Ayurvedic line of management of progressive GON. Ingredients of trial drug Vara Fort powder ( Chakshushya Rasayana ) were procured from the Institute Pharmacy, except Swarnamakshika Bhasma , which was purchased from Dhootapapeshwar Pharmaceuticals. The patients fulfilling inclusion criteria, attending outpatient and inpatient departments, irrespective of their sex, race, religion, occupation, etc., were selected and divided into two groups with open-labeled randomization. In Group A, in addition to betaxolol (0.1%) or timolol (0.5%) (non-iobrim), Chakshushya Rasayana 6 g/day orally with Triphala Ghrita and honey along with Koshtha-Shuddhi (body-microchannel clearing treatment) protocol was tried. Nasya (oleation through nasal route) with Jeevantyadi Taila and Tarpana (eye satiation) with Go-Ghrita were also performed. In Group B (control), brimonidine (iobrim) 0.2% eye drop was used for 3 months. Significant improvement was observed in subjective parameters in Group A such as blurred vision, frequent change of presbyopic glasses, and delayed dark adaptation. Chakshushya Rasayana , if administered in a systematic approach along with a modern topical betaxolol or timolol eye drops, has a definite role in improving the lost retinal sensitivity as much as up to 12 dB in 3 months duration.

  8. PLGA-PEG-PLGA hydrogel for ocular drug delivery of dexamethasone acetate.

    PubMed

    Gao, Yuan; Sun, Yan; Ren, Fuzheng; Gao, Shen

    2010-10-01

    This study aims to investigate the suitability of thermosensitive triblock polymer poly-(DL-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-PLGA as a matrix material for ocular delivery of dexamethasone acetate (DXA). The copolymer was synthesized and evaluated for its thermosensitive and gelation properties. DXA in situ gel-forming solution based on PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymer of 20% (w/w) was prepared and evaluated for ocular pharmacokinetics in rabbit according to the microdialysis method, which was compared to the normal eye drop. The copolymer with 20% (w/w) had a low critical solution temperature of 32 degrees C, which is close to the surface temperature of the eye. The C(max) of DXA in the anterior chamber for the PLGA-PEG-PLGA solution was 125.2 microg/mL, which is sevenfold higher than that of the eye drop, along with greater area under the concentration-time curves (AUC). These results suggest that the PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymer is potential thermosensitive in situ gel-forming material for ocular drug delivery, and it may improve the bioavailability, efficacy of some eye drugs.

  9. Surgical outcome of cats treated for aqueous humor misdirection syndrome: a case series.

    PubMed

    Atkins, Rosalie M; Armour, Micki D; Hyman, Jennifer A

    2016-07-01

    To evaluate the clinical outcome of cats treated surgically for aqueous humor misdirection syndrome. A retrospective analysis of cats treated surgically between January 1, 2006, and January 1, 2013, for aqueous humor misdirection syndrome was performed. Signalment, medical therapy, eyes affected, intraocular pressures prior to and after surgery, surgical procedures performed, postoperative complications, and visual status were evaluated. Seven cats (nine eyes) fit the inclusion criteria. Six of seven cats were female, and five of seven cats were diagnosed with bilateral aqueous humor misdirection syndrome. Three surgical approaches were evaluated as follows: (i) phacoemulsification and posterior capsulotomy, (ii) phacoemulsification, posterior capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy, and (iii) phacoemulsification, posterior capsulotomy, anterior vitrectomy, and endocyclophotocoagulation. The mean age at diagnosis was 12.9 years. Seven of nine eyes had controlled intraocular pressure (≤25 mmHg) during the first 6 months postoperatively. All cats were visual with controlled intraocular inflammation at 1 year postoperatively; however, one eye had an elevated intraocular pressure. All cats were continued on topical antiglaucoma and anti-inflammatory medications following surgery with the mean number of drops per day decreasing from 3.9 drops/day prior to surgery to 2.2 drops/day postoperatively. Surgical management for feline aqueous humor misdirection syndrome may be a viable option to maintain a visual and normotensive status in cats that no longer have successful control of intraocular pressure with medical therapy. © 2016 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

  10. Ocular Pharmacology of Tear Film, Dry Eye, and Allergic Conjunctivitis.

    PubMed

    Gulati, Shilpa; Jain, Sandeep

    2017-01-01

    Dry Eye Disease (DED) is "a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear-film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface." DED comprises two etiologic categories: aqueous-deficient dry eye (ADDE) and evaporative dry eye (EDE). Diagnostic workup of DED should include clinical history, symptom questionnaire, fluorescein TBUT, ocular surface staining grading, Schirmer I/II, lid and meibomian pathology, meibomian expression, followed by other available tests. New diagnostic tests employ the Oculus Keratograph, which performs non-invasive tear-film analysis and a bulbar redness (BR). The TearLab Osmolarity Test enables rapid clinical evaluation of tear osmolarity. Lipiview is a recently developed diagnostic tool that uses interferometry to quantitatively evaluate tear-film thickness. In DED, epithelial and inflammatory cells produce a variety of inflammatory mediators. A stagnant tear film and decreased concentration of mucin result in the accumulation of inflammatory factors that can penetrate tight junctions and cause epithelial cell death. DED treatment algorithms are based on severity of clinical signs and symptoms, and disease etiology. Therapeutic approaches include lubricating artificial tears and immunomodulatory agents.

  11. In vivo challenging of polymyxins and levofloxacin eye drop against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis.

    PubMed

    Tajima, Kazuki; Miyake, Taku; Koike, Naohito; Hattori, Takaaki; Kumakura, Shigeto; Yamaguchi, Tetsuo; Matsumoto, Tetsuya; Fujita, Koji; Kuroda, Masahiko; Ito, Norihiko; Goto, Hiroshi

    2014-06-01

    The purposes of this study were to establish a rabbit multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRP) keratitis model, and test the efficacy of levofloxacin, colistin methanesulfate (CL-M), colistin sulfate (CL-S) and polymyxin B (PL-B) against MDRP infection. In a rabbit eye, making a 2-mm circular corneal excision, and MDRP strain #601 or representative P. aeruginosa strain IID1210 were instilled into the corneal concavity. IID1210 was used to confirm this model developed P. aeruginosa keratitis. After MDRP keratitis developed, we treated the eyes with levofloxacin, CL-M, CL-S or PL-B eye drops. The infected eyes were evaluated by clinical score, histopathological examination and viable bacterial count (CFU). Rabbits developed MDRP keratitis reproducibly after instilled the bacteria into the corneal lesion. MDRP produced severe keratitis similarly with IID1210, as shown by slit lamp examination and clinical score. In MDRP keratitis models, clinical scores and viable bacterial counts were significantly lower in levofloxacin- and CL-M-treated groups compared with PBS-treated group, but the magnitudes of reduction were not remarkable. However, clinical scores were dramatically lowered in CL-S- and PL-B-treated groups compared with PBS-treated group. CL-S- and PL-B-treated group were kept corneal translucency and little influx of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in histopathological examination. In addition, both CL-S- and PL-B-treated groups were not detected viable bacteria in infected cornea. Using our MDRP keratitis model, we showed that topical levofloxacin and CL-M are not adequately effective, while CL-S and PL-B are efficacious in controlling MDRP keratitis. Especially, PL-B, which is commercially available eye drop, might be most effective against MDRP. Copyright © 2014 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Sustained Release of an Anti-Glaucoma Drug: Demonstration of Efficacy of a Liposomal Formulation in the Rabbit Eye

    PubMed Central

    Ang, Marcus; Darwitan, Anastasia; Foo, Selin; Zhen, Ma; Koo, Magdalene; Wong, Tina T.; Venkatraman, Subbu S.

    2011-01-01

    Topical medication remains the first line treatment of glaucoma; however, sustained ocular drug delivery via topical administration is difficult to achieve. Most drugs have poor penetration due to the multiple physiological barriers of the eye and are rapidly cleared if applied topically. Currently, daily topical administration for lowering the intra-ocular pressure (IOP), has many limitations, such as poor patient compliance and ocular allergy from repeated drug administration. Poor compliance leads to suboptimal control of IOP and disease progression with eventual blindness. The delivery of drugs in a sustained manner could provide the patient with a more attractive alternative by providing optimal therapeutic dosing, with minimal local toxicity and inconvenience. To investigate this, we incorporated latanoprost into LUVs (large unilamellar vesicles) derived from the liposome of DPPC (di-palmitoyl-phosphatidyl-choline) by the film hydration technique. Relatively high amounts of drug could be incorporated into this vesicle, and the drug resides predominantly in the bilayer. Vesicle stability monitored by size measurement and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) analysis showed that formulations with a drug/lipid mole ratio of about 10% have good physical stability during storage and release. This formulation demonstrated sustained release of latanoprost in vitro, and then tested for efficacy in 23 rabbits. Subconjunctival injection and topical eye drop administration of the latanoprost/liposomal formulation were compared with conventional daily administration of latanoprost eye drops. The IOP lowering effect with a single subconjunctival injection was shown to be sustained for up to 50 days, and the extent of IOP lowering was comparable to daily eye drop administration. Toxicity and localized inflammation were not observed in any treatment groups. We believe that this is the first demonstration, in vivo, of sustained delivery to the anterior segment of the eye that is safe and efficacious for 50 days. PMID:21931735

  13. Animal models to assess the therapeutic efficacy of human serum and serum-converted platelet lysates for dry eye syndrome: Seeing is believing.

    PubMed

    Tseng, Ching-Li; Seghatchian, Jerard; Burnouf, Thierry

    2015-08-01

    There is much interest in the clinical use of serum-converted human blood or platelet concentrates in regenerative medicine, most specifically for wound healing and tissue repair of soft and hard tissues. The scientific rationale supporting the clinical efficacy of these preparations is based on the expectation that their physiological mixture of natural growth factors can orchestrate cell expansion and differentiation in vivo. However, a lack of standardization and regulatory oversight of these blood materials maintain a perception of uncertainty in the scientific and medical community on the value of these preparations for some clinical indications. More studies are needed to understand the mechanism of action underlying their expected efficacy and standardize their use, and benefit from their biological versatility. One application of serum is as eye drop for treating dry eye syndrome (DES), a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface, which has a prevalence of 15% of more in the population. DES can lead to chronic inflammation of the ocular surface, surface impairment in the cornea and conjunctiva, and, in patients with Sjogren syndrome, result in a disruption of the ocular surface epithelium. Objective experimental assessment of safety and efficacy of serum eye drops can help establish scientific rationale in optimal product composition and use. This can be achieved, first, through cell cultures with relevant cell models, before considering, then, animal studies using DES animal models. Several models have been evaluated and are reported in this concise review. The model we have developed encompasses the use of rabbits, where their eyes are treated with 0.1% benzalkonium chloride (BAC), a common preservative in ophthalmic agents, 3 times daily for 4 weeks. This relatively mild treatment results in moderate DES pathology, with a stable shortage of tear secretion throughout a 7-week study period, which we found suitable for assessing efficacy of serum eye drops. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Eye drop delivery of nano-polymeric micelle formulated genes with cornea-specific promoters.

    PubMed

    Tong, Yaw-Chong; Chang, Shwu-Fen; Liu, Chia-Yang; Kao, Winston W-Y; Huang, Chong Heng; Liaw, Jiahorng

    2007-11-01

    This study evaluates the eye drop delivery of genes with cornea-specific promoters, i.e., keratin 12 (K12) and keratocan (Kera3.2) promoters, by non-ionic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) polymeric micelles (PM) to mouse and rabbit eyes, and investigates the underlying mechanisms. Three PM-formulated plasmids (pCMV-Lac Z, pK12-Lac Z and pKera3.2-Lac Z) containing the Lac Z gene for beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) whose expression was driven by the promoter of either the cytomegalovirus early gene, the keratin 12 gene or the keratocan gene, were characterized by critical micelle concentration (CMC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Transgene expression in ocular tissue after gene delivery was analyzed by 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactoside (X-Gal) color staining, 1,2-dioxetane beta-Gal enzymatic activity measurement, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The delivery mechanisms of plasmid-PM on mouse and rabbit corneas were evaluated by EDTA and RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) peptide. The sizes of the three plasmid-PM complexes were around 150-200 nm with unimodal distribution. Enhanced stability was found for three plasmid-PM formulations after DNase I treatment. After six doses of eye drop delivery of pK12-Lac Z-PM three times a day, beta-Gal activity was significantly increased in both mouse and rabbit corneas. Stroma-specific Lac Z expression was only found in pKera3.2-Lac Z-PM-treated animals with pretreatment by 5 mM EDTA, an opener of junctions. Lac Z gene expression in both pK12-Lac Z-PM and pKera3.2-Lac Z-PM delivery groups was decreased by RGD peptide pretreatment. Cornea epithelium- and stroma-specific gene expression could be achieved using cornea-specific promoters of keratin 12 and keratocan genes, and the gene was delivered with PM formulation through non-invasive, eye drop in mice and rabbits. The transfection mechanism of plasmid-PM may involve endocytosis and particle size dependent paracellular transport. 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

  15. Dilating Eye Drops

    MedlinePlus

    American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Home About AAPOS Patient Info Resources Allied Health News & Events Meetings J AAPOS American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology ...

  16. Ocular surface and tear functions after topical cyclosporine treatment in dry eye patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease.

    PubMed

    Wang, Y; Ogawa, Y; Dogru, M; Kawai, M; Tatematsu, Y; Uchino, M; Okada, N; Igarashi, A; Kujira, A; Fujishima, H; Okamoto, S; Shimazaki, J; Tsubota, K

    2008-02-01

    We investigated the effect of 0.05% topical cyclosporine (Cys) on the ocular surface and tear functions in dry eye patients with chronic GVHD (cGVHD) in a prospective comparative study. Thirty eyes of 15 patients refractory to baseline treatment were recruited and the patients assigned for topical Cys treatment group (14 eyes of 7 patients) and control group (12 eyes of 6 patients) respectively. Two patients dropped out because of intolerable irritation while using topical Cys eye drops. Visual analog scale symptom scores, corneal sensitivity, Schirmer I test value, tear film break-up time (TBUT), tear evaporation rate and ocular surface vital staining scores were recorded at baseline and at the end of the following one month. Conjunctival impression and brush cytology were performed before and after the treatment. After topical Cys treatment, significant improvements were found in symptom scores, corneal sensitivity, tear evaporation rate, TBUT, vital staining scores, goblet cells density, conjunctival squamous metaplasia grade, inflammatory cell numbers and the MUC5AC expression. Our study suggests that 0.05% topical Cys may be an effective treatment for dry eye patients with cGVHD. The improvements in the ocular surface and tear functions resulted presumably from the decreased inflammation, increased goblet cell density and MUC5AC mRNA expression. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2008) 41, 293-302; doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1705900; published online 5 November 2007.

  17. [Preservatives in ophthalmology].

    PubMed

    Messmer, E M

    2012-11-01

    Preservatives are a legal requirement for eye drops in multidose containers. Moreover, they are necessary for stabilization and intraocular penetration for a number of ophthalmic preparations. Most preservatives act in a relatively unspecific manner as detergents or by oxidative mechanisms and thereby cause side effects at the ocular surface. They may also affect the lens, trabecular meshwork and the retina. Benzalkonium chloride is the most commonly used preservative in ophthalmology and is more toxic than other or newer preservatives, such as polyquaternium-1 (Polyquad), sodium perborate, oxychloro-complex (Purite®) and SofZia. Preservative-free topical medication is highly recommended for patients with ocular surface disease, frequent eye drop administration, proven allergy to preservatives and contact lens wear.

  18. New spectrophotometric assay for pilocarpine.

    PubMed

    El-Masry, S; Soliman, R

    1980-07-01

    A quick method for the determination of pilocarpine in eye drops in the presence of decomposition products is described. The method involves complexation of the alkaloid with bromocresol purple at pH 6. After treatment with 0.1N NaOH, the liberated dye is measured at 580 nm. The method has a relative standard deviation of 1.99%, and has been successfully applied to the analysis of 2 batches of pilocarpine eye drops. The recommended method was also used to monitor the stability of a pilocarpine nitrate solution in 0.05N NaOH at 65 degrees C. The BPC method failed to detect any significant decomposition after 2 h incubation, but the recommended method revealed 87.5% decomposition.

  19. Rectifying calibration error of Goldmann applanation tonometer is easy!

    PubMed

    Choudhari, Nikhil S; Moorthy, Krishna P; Tungikar, Vinod B; Kumar, Mohan; George, Ronnie; Rao, Harsha L; Senthil, Sirisha; Vijaya, Lingam; Garudadri, Chandra Sekhar

    2014-11-01

    Purpose: Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) is the current Gold standard tonometer. However, its calibration error is common and can go unnoticed in clinics. Its company repair has limitations. The purpose of this report is to describe a self-taught technique of rectifying calibration error of GAT. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine slit-lamp-mounted Haag-Streit Goldmann tonometers (Model AT 900 C/M; Haag-Streit, Switzerland) were included in this cross-sectional interventional pilot study. The technique of rectification of calibration error of the tonometer involved cleaning and lubrication of the instrument followed by alignment of weights when lubrication alone didn't suffice. We followed the South East Asia Glaucoma Interest Group's definition of calibration error tolerance (acceptable GAT calibration error within ±2, ±3 and ±4 mm Hg at the 0, 20 and 60-mm Hg testing levels, respectively). Results: Twelve out of 29 (41.3%) GATs were out of calibration. The range of positive and negative calibration error at the clinically most important 20-mm Hg testing level was 0.5 to 20 mm Hg and -0.5 to -18 mm Hg, respectively. Cleaning and lubrication alone sufficed to rectify calibration error of 11 (91.6%) faulty instruments. Only one (8.3%) faulty GAT required alignment of the counter-weight. Conclusions: Rectification of calibration error of GAT is possible in-house. Cleaning and lubrication of GAT can be carried out even by eye care professionals and may suffice to rectify calibration error in the majority of faulty instruments. Such an exercise may drastically reduce the downtime of the Gold standard tonometer.

  20. A model of transluminal flow of an anti-HIV microbicide vehicle: Combined elastic squeezing and gravitational sliding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szeri, Andrew J.; Park, Su Chan; Verguet, Stéphane; Weiss, Aaron; Katz, David F.

    2008-08-01

    Elastohydrodynamic lubrication over soft substrates is of importance in a number of biomedical problems: From lubrication of the eye surface by the tear film, to lubrication of joints by synovial fluid, to lubrication between the pleural surfaces that protect the lungs and other organs. Such flows are also important for the drug delivery functions of vehicles for anti-HIV topical microbicides. These are intended to inhibit transmission into vulnerable mucosa, e.g., in the vagina. First generation prototype microbicides have gel vehicles, which spread after insertion and coat luminal surfaces. Effectiveness derives from potency of the active ingredients and completeness and durability of coating. Delivery vehicle rheology, luminal biomechanical properties, and the force due to gravity influence the coating mechanics. We develop a framework for understanding the relative importance of boundary squeezing and body forces on the extent and speed of the coating that results. A single dimensionless number, independent of viscosity, characterizes the relative influences of squeezing and gravitational acceleration on the shape of spreading in the Newtonian case. A second scale, involving viscosity, determines the spreading rate. In the case of a shear-thinning fluid, the Carreau number also plays a role. Numerical solutions were developed for a range of the dimensionless parameter and compared well with asymptotic theory in the limited case where such results can be obtained. Results were interpreted with respect to trade-offs between wall elasticity, longitudinal forces, bolus viscosity, and bolus volume. These provide initial insights of practical value for formulators of gel delivery vehicles for anti-HIV microbicidal formulations.

  1. The role of amniotic membrane extract eye drop (AMEED) in in vivo cultivation of limbal stem cells.

    PubMed

    Baradaran-Rafii, Alireza; Asl, Niloufar Shayan; Ebrahimi, Marzieh; Jabbehdari, Sayena; Bamdad, Shahram; Roshandel, Danial; Eslani, Medi; Momeni, Maryam

    2018-01-01

    Limbal stem cell transplantation (LSCT) is the definitive treatment for total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). This study evaluates the anatomical and visual outcomes of a surgical technique supplemented by amniotic membrane extract eye drop (AMEED) for in vivo cultivation of limbal stem cells (LSCs). One small limbal block (2 × 1 mm) harvested from the contralateral healthy eye was transferred to the diseased eye, which had been already covered by cryopreserved amniotic membrane (N = 20). The patients were categorized into case and control groups. AMEED was administered postoperatively only for patients in the case group (N = 14). Sequential penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) was performed in 4 eyes of the case group for optical clarity. Visual acuity, epithelial healing, corneal clarity and regression of conjunctivalization/vascularization were evaluated after surgery. The corneal buttons of post-PKP eyes were evaluated for LSC markers. In the case group, the mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) was 20/400 before surgery, which improved to 20/40 and 20/50 at the last follow-up in eyes with and without PKP, respectively. Epithelial defects healed in all eyes of the case group during 2 weeks after surgery. Corneal conjunctivalization/vascularization regressed dramatically in all patients of the case group 2-3 months after surgery. In PKP cases, all transplanted corneas were clear at the last follow-up. LSC markers were expressed on the surface of all trephined corneal buttons. All eyes in the control group developed persistent epithelial defect. This study suggests that amniotic membrane extract may be helpful for in vivo cultivation of limbal stem cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Corneal anesthesia following application of 0.4% oxybuprocaine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution to normal feline eyes.

    PubMed

    Giudici, Valentina; Baeza, Sophia; Douet, Jean-Yves; Regnier, Alain

    2015-03-01

    To evaluate the loss and recovery of corneal sensitivity after instillation of 0.4% oxybuprocaine hydrochloride solution in the normal feline eye. Eighteen European shorthair cats free of ocular disease Baseline corneal touch threshold (CTT) readings were obtained bilaterally with a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer prior to treatment. Subsequently, each cat received a single drop of 0.4% oxybuprocaine ophthalmic solution in the right eye and one drop of sterile 0.9% NaCl in the left eye to serve as control. The corneal touch threshold (CTT) of both eyes was then measured 1 min after drug administration and every 5 min for 60 min. The potential for ocular irritation following oxybuprocaine application was also evaluated. Baseline CTT readings were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the control and oxybuprocaine-treated eyes with values of 1.75 ± 0.31 cm and 1.75 ± 0.30 cm, respectively. In control eyes, mean CTT did not significantly change (P > 0.05) during the study period. By contrast, after oxybuprocaine application mean CTT was significantly reduced from baseline (P < 0.05) for 45 min. Maximal corneal anesthesia, with a CTT value of 0, was achieved at 1 and 5 min in all treated eyes. A markedly reduced mean CTT of 0.14 ± 0.23 cm was still present at 20 min. Age and gender did not significantly affect corneal anesthesia. No clinically relevant ocular side effects occurred during the observation period. This is the first study that provides objective information on the depth and duration of corneal anesthesia following instillation of oxybuprocaine in healthy feline eyes. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

  3. Microprocessor controlled compliance monitor for eye drop medication

    PubMed Central

    Hermann, M M; Diestelhorst, M

    2006-01-01

    Background/aims The effectiveness of a self administered eye drop medication can only be assessed if the compliance is known. The authors studied the specificity and sensitivity of a new microprocessor controlled monitoring device. Methods The monitoring system was conducted by an 8 bit microcontroller for data acquisition and storage with sensors measuring applied pressure to the bottle, temperature, and vertical position. 10 devices were mounted under commercial 10 ml eye drops. Test subjects had to note down each application manually. A total of 15 applications each within 3 days was intended. Results Manual reports confirmed 15 applications for each of the 10 bottles. The monitoring devices detected a total of 149 events; one was missed; comprising a sensitivity of 99%. Two devices registered three applications, which did not appear in the manual protocols, indicating a specificity of about 98%. Refrigerated bottles were correctly identified. The battery lifetime exceeded 60 days. Conclusion The new monitoring device demonstrated a high reliability of the collected compliance data. The important, yet often unknown, influence of compliance in patient care and clinical trials shall be illuminated by the new device. This may lead to a better adapted patient care. Studies will profit from a higher credibility and results will be less influenced by non‐compliance. PMID:16540488

  4. Effects of eye drops containing a mixture of omega-3 essential fatty acids and hyaluronic acid on the ocular surface in desiccating stress-induced murine dry eye.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhengri; Choi, Jung-Han; Oh, Han-Jin; Park, Soo-Hyun; Lee, Jee-Bum; Yoon, Kyung Chul

    2014-09-01

    To investigate the efficacy of the topical application of omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and hyaluronic acid (HA) mixtures in a mouse model of experimental dry eye (EDE). Eye drops consisting of 0.1% HA, 0.02%, or 0.2% omega-3 EFAs alone and mixture of 0.02%, or 0.2% omega-3 EFAs and 0.1% HA were applied in desiccating stress-induced murine dry eye. Corneal irregularity scores and fluorescein staining scores were measured 5 and 10 days after treatment. Levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, -17, and interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10 were measured in the conjunctiva at 10 days using a multiplex immunobead assay. The concentrations of hexanoyl-lys (HEL) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in conjunctiva tissue were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Mice treated with the mixture containing 0.2% omega-3 EFAs showed a significant improvement in corneal irregularity scores and corneal fluorescein staining scores compared with EDE, HA, 0.02% or 0.2% omega-3 EFAs alone, and 0.02% omega-3 EFAs mixture-treated mice. A significant decrease in the levels of IL-1β, -17, and IP-10 were observed in the 0.2% EFAs mixture-treated group, compared with the other groups. In the mice treated with the mixture containing 0.2% omega-3 EFAs, the concentration of 4-HNE was also lower than the other groups. Although 0.2% omega-3 EFAs alone group also had a significant improvement in corneal irregularity scores and IL-17, IL-10, and 4 HNE levels compared with the other groups, the efficacy was lower than 0.2% omega-3 mixture group. Topically applied eye drops containing a mixture of omega-3 EFAs and HA could improve corneal irregularity and corneal epithelial barrier disruption, and decrease inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers on the ocular surface. Topical omega-3 EFAs and HA mixture may have a greater therapeutic effect on clinical signs and inflammation of dry eye compared with HA artificial tears.

  5. The Effect of Autologous Platelet Lysate Eye Drops: An In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Study

    PubMed Central

    Fea, Antonio M.; Testa, Valeria; Machetta, Federica; Parisi, Simone; D'Antico, Sergio; Spinetta, Roberta; Fusaro, Enrico; Grignolo, Federico M.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose. To determine the effectiveness of autologous platelet lysate (APL) eye drops in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) dry eye, refractory to standard therapy, in comparison with patients treated with artificial tears. We focused on the effect of APL on cornea morphology with the in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Methods. Patients were assigned to two groups: group A used autologous platelet lysate QID, and group B used preservative-free artificial tears QID, for 90 days. Ophthalmological assessments included ocular surface disease index (OSDI), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Schirmer test, fluorescein score, and breakup time (BUT). A subgroup of patients in group A underwent IVCM: corneal basal epithelium, subbasal nerves, Langerhans cells, anterior stroma activated keratocytes, and reflectivity were evaluated. Results. 60 eyes of 30 patients were enrolled; in group A (n = 20 patients) mean OSDI, fluorescein score, and BUT showed significant improvement compared with group B (n = 10 patients). The IVCM showed a significant increase in basal epithelium cells density and subbasal nerve plexus density and number and a decrease in Langerhans cells density (p < 0.05). Conclusion. APL was found effective in the treatment of SS dry eye. IVCM seems to be a useful tool to visualize cornea morphologic modifications. PMID:27200376

  6. The Effect of Autologous Platelet Lysate Eye Drops: An In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Study.

    PubMed

    Fea, Antonio M; Aragno, Vittoria; Testa, Valeria; Machetta, Federica; Parisi, Simone; D'Antico, Sergio; Spinetta, Roberta; Fusaro, Enrico; Grignolo, Federico M

    2016-01-01

    Purpose. To determine the effectiveness of autologous platelet lysate (APL) eye drops in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) dry eye, refractory to standard therapy, in comparison with patients treated with artificial tears. We focused on the effect of APL on cornea morphology with the in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Methods. Patients were assigned to two groups: group A used autologous platelet lysate QID, and group B used preservative-free artificial tears QID, for 90 days. Ophthalmological assessments included ocular surface disease index (OSDI), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Schirmer test, fluorescein score, and breakup time (BUT). A subgroup of patients in group A underwent IVCM: corneal basal epithelium, subbasal nerves, Langerhans cells, anterior stroma activated keratocytes, and reflectivity were evaluated. Results. 60 eyes of 30 patients were enrolled; in group A (n = 20 patients) mean OSDI, fluorescein score, and BUT showed significant improvement compared with group B (n = 10 patients). The IVCM showed a significant increase in basal epithelium cells density and subbasal nerve plexus density and number and a decrease in Langerhans cells density (p < 0.05). Conclusion. APL was found effective in the treatment of SS dry eye. IVCM seems to be a useful tool to visualize cornea morphologic modifications.

  7. 21 CFR 349.55 - Labeling of ophthalmic astringent drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form, e.g., drops).” (b) Indications... temporary relief of discomfort from minor eye irritations.” (c) Warnings. In addition to the warnings in... products containing any ingredient identified in § 349.10: (1) “If you experience eye pain, changes in...

  8. 21 CFR 349.55 - Labeling of ophthalmic astringent drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form, e.g., drops).” (b) Indications... temporary relief of discomfort from minor eye irritations.” (c) Warnings. In addition to the warnings in... products containing any ingredient identified in § 349.10: (1) “If you experience eye pain, changes in...

  9. Static response of deformable microchannels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Christov, Ivan C.; Sidhore, Tanmay C.

    2017-11-01

    Microfluidic channels manufactured from PDMS are a key component of lab-on-a-chip devices. Experimentally, rectangular microchannels are found to deform into a non-rectangular cross-section due to fluid-structure interactions. Deformation affects the flow profile, which results in a nonlinear relationship between the volumetric flow rate and the pressure drop. We develop a framework, within the lubrication approximation (l >> w >> h), to self-consistently derive flow rate-pressure drop relations. Emphasis is placed on handling different types of elastic response: from pure plate-bending, to half-space deformation, to membrane stretching. The ``simplest'' model (Stokes flow in a 3D rectangular channel capped with a linearly elastic Kirchhoff-Love plate) agrees well with recent experiments. We also simulate the static response of such microfluidic channels under laminar flow conditions using ANSYSWorkbench. Simulations are calibrated using experimental flow rate-pressure drop data from the literature. The simulations provide highly resolved deformation profiles, which are difficult to measure experimentally. By comparing simulations, experiments and our theoretical models, we show good agreement in many flow/deformation regimes, without any fitting parameters.

  10. Development of the conceptual framework for the Eye-Drop Satisfaction Questionnaire (EDSQ) in glaucoma using a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Nordmann, Jean-Philippe; Denis, Philippe; Vigneux, Marc; Trudeau, Elyse; Guillemin, Isabelle; Berdeaux, Gilles

    2007-08-06

    Compliance is a major issue in glaucoma care. It is usually poor in glaucomatous patients, and may ultimately result in an acceleration of the disease progression and a risk of blindness. Reasons for this poor compliance are complex and multifactorial, amongst which patient satisfaction can be counted. The objective of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess patient satisfaction and compliance with eye-drop treatment. A qualitative study was carried out to develop the questionnaire. An interview guide was developed based on a literature review. Structured interviews of fifteen French and English patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or intraocular hypertension were conducted by trained interviewers of the native language of the interviewees. General concepts and subconcepts were identified from the transcripts. The questionnaire was developed using the patient verbatim, and submitted to six patients (French and English) for cognitive debriefing. Following patients' comments, items were modified and restructured, and a pilot questionnaire was designed. Analysis of data from the interviews with patients and clinicians resulted in the elicitation of concepts related to patient satisfaction and compliance with glaucomatous treatment. These were further refined and used to generate a test questionnaire, which consisted of 46 items grouped into 6 domains: patient characteristics, treatment characteristics, patient-clinician relationship, patient experience with the disease and the treatment, interaction between the patient and the treatment, and patient knowledge of the disease and the treatment. The Eye-Drop Satisfaction Questionnaire (EDSQ) conceptual framework and items were developed simultaneously in French and in English. This questionnaire could be used to evaluate patient satisfaction and compliance with eye-drop treatment and would facilitate the identification of patients at risk of being non-compliant prior to clinical trials or innovative device tests. A psychometric study is under way to validate the questionnaire.

  11. Coplanar electrowetting-induced stirring as a tool to manipulate biological samples in lubricated digital microfluidics. Impact of ambient phase on drop internal flow patterna)

    PubMed Central

    Davoust, Laurent; Fouillet, Yves; Malk, Rachid; Theisen, Johannes

    2013-01-01

    Oscillating electrowetting on dielectrics (EWOD) with coplanar electrodes is investigated in this paper as a way to provide efficient stirring within a drop with biological content. A supporting model inspired from Ko et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 194102 (2009)] is proposed allowing to interpret oscillating EWOD-induced drop internal flow as the result of a current streaming along the drop surface deformed by capillary waves. Current streaming behaves essentially as a surface flow generator and the momentum it sustains within the (viscous) drop is even more significant as the surface to volume ratio is small. With the circular electrode pair considered in this paper, oscillating EWOD sustains toroidal vortical flows when the experiments are conducted with aqueous drops in air as ambient phase. But when oil is used as ambient phase, it is demonstrated that the presence of an electrode gap is responsible for a change in drop shape: a pinch-off at the electrode gap yields a peanut-shaped drop and a symmetry break-up of the EWOD-induced flow pattern. Viscosity of oil is also responsible for promoting an efficient damping of the capillary waves which populate the surface of the actuated drop. As a result, the capillary network switches from one standing wave to two superimposed traveling waves of different mechanical energy, provided that actuation frequency is large enough, for instance, as large as the one commonly used in electrowetting applications (f ∼ 500 Hz and beyond). Special emphasis is put on stirring of biological samples. As a typical application, it is demonstrated how beads or cell clusters can be focused under flow either at mid-height of the drop or near the wetting plane, depending on how the nature of the capillary waves is (standing or traveling), and therefore, depending on the actuation frequency (150 Hz–1 KHz). PMID:24404038

  12. Development of Ocular Delivery System for Glaucoma Therapy Using Natural Hydrogel as Film Forming Agent and Release Modifier.

    PubMed

    Kulkarni, Giriraj T; Sethi, Nitin; Awasthi, Rajendra; Pawar, Vivek Kumar; Pahuja, Vineet

    2016-01-01

    Glaucoma is characterized by increased intraocular pressure, which results in damage to the optic nerve. The existing therapy with conventional eye drops is inefficient due to nasolachrymal drainage, resulting in a reduced corneal residence of the drug. The objective was to develop controlled-release ocular films of timolol maleate using natural hydrogel from Tamarindus indica seeds as a sustaining and film-forming agent, to overcome the problems associated with eye drops. The hydrogel was isolated using hot aqueous extraction followed by precipitation with ethanol. Six batches of ocular films were prepared and evaluated for drug content, weight variation, thickness, diameter and in vitro release profile. The ideal batch of the films was subjected to stability, pharmacodynamic and ocular safety studies. The yield of the hydrogel was 58.29%. The thickness of the ocular films was in the range of 0.17 to 0.25 mm and the weight of the films was found to increase with the increase in polymer content. The drug release from the films was found to be controlled over a period of 8 h. The films were found to be stable and were able to reduce the intraocular pressure for 24 h in a more efficient manner than the eye drops. The films were found to be practically non-irritating to the eye. It can be concluded that the hydrogel from tamarind seeds can be used as a film-forming and release-controlling agent for the development of an ocular drug delivery system for the effective therapy of glaucoma.

  13. Experimental studies on soft contact lenses for controlled ocular delivery of pirfinedone: in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Yang, Mei; Yang, Yangfan; Lei, Ming; Ye, Chengtian; Zhao, Chunshun; Xu, Jiangang; Wu, Kaili; Yu, Minbin

    2016-11-01

    Pirfinedone (PFD) is a novel agent which has the potential to prevent scarring in the eyes. The 0.5% PFD eye drops exhibits poor bioavailability. Whereas, the feasibility of using contact lens as ocular drug delivery device initiated novel possibilities. To evaluate the delivery of PFD by soft contact lens (SCL) in vivo, we screened the most suitable lens material for PFD among various commercially available SCL materials in vitro. Firstly, 11 different SCLs (-1.00 diopter) were respectively soaked in 2 ml of 0.05% PFD-loading solution for 24 h to fully absorb drug, and then placed in fresh phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to release the drug. PFD concentration in PBS was determined by ultraviolet absorbance at 310 nm. Secondly, by immersing in 2 ml of 0.5% PFD eye drops for 24 h, the polymacon lens (0.00 diopter) was then placed on the cornea of New Zealand rabbits. PFD concentrations were detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in tears, aqueous humor, conjunctiva, cornea, and sclera at different time points. PFD showed some affinity for pHEMA-based lenses and the polymacon lens more slowly released more amount of PFD than any other lens in vitro (p < 0.001). Compared with eye drops, drug-loaded SCLs greatly enhanced the retention time and concentrations of PFD in cornea and aqueous humor and consequently improved the bioavailability of PFD. Polymacon-based SCL is probably a promising vehicle to be an effective ophthalmic delivery system for PFD.

  14. [Light and blindness in ancient Egypt].

    PubMed

    Maria Rosso, Ana

    2010-01-01

    In Ancient Egypt, light and fire, which were closely related to the Sun God Ra, were the sources of life and well-being, while the dark meant danger and death. Similar to death, darkness drops on human beings in deep sleep and they enter a space inhabited by shadows. Dreams were believed to reveal an unknown world, to give the sleeper a glimpse into the future. Vision attracts distant objects and their light, on the other hand, can hurt the eyes like a burning flame. Eyes were the most important organ in Egyptian thought, as they allowed perception of the real world. Their importance has been immortalised in the myth of the Eye of Horus that explains the role of either eye. One represents the moonlight, which disperses the darkness of the night, and the other represents the sunshine, which creates life, and both could also represents the power of human intellect. Blindness, in turn, congenital or disease-related, was considered a divine punishment. A man, thus handicapped, would sink in a state of uncertainty and darkness. To protect the eyes from blindness, people used drops and ointments, which were believed to chase away all kinds of insects and demons that threatened with a variety of eye infections. Egyptian eye doctors or physicians, carried a special kit that contained green chrysocolla and a black kohl makeup, highly appreciated as prophylaxis because they personified Osiris' humours or body fluids. These products were offered to Gods to restore the brightness of divine glance and incite sun and moon to spread their beneficial light.

  15. Short-term effect of beta-adrenoreceptor blocking agents on ocular blood flow.

    PubMed

    Sato, T; Muto, T; Ishibashi, Y; Roy, S

    2001-10-01

    In this study the acute effect of the topically-delivered non-selective beta-blockers timolol and carteolol, and the selective beta-blocker betaxolol, were evaluated with respect to ocular blood flow, intraocular pressure (IOP) and vessel resistance in rabbits' eyes. In a double masked randomized design, one eye of each subject (n = 9) received two drops of 0.5 % timolol or 2 % cartelol or 0.5 % betaxolol ophthalmic solution and a separate group of nine rabbits received two drops of placebo consisting of physiological saline in both eyes to serve as control. Using hydrogen clearance method, ciliary body blood flow (CiBF), choroidal blood flow (CBF), and retinal blood flow (RBF) were measured. IOP and systemic mean arterial pressure (MAP) of each subject were measured under same condition before and after the administration of respective drugs to calculate the ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) and vessel resistance. In timolol- and carteolol-treated eyes significant reduction was observed in IOP (p < 0.01), CiBF (p < 0.01), CBF (p < 0.01) and RBF (p < 0.01) compared to control eyes. However, in betaxolol-treated eyes a marginal reduction in IOP was observed accompanied by significant increase in CiBF (p < 0.01) and RBF (p < 0.05). The non-selective beta-blocker-treated eyes tended to have increased vessel resistance, whereas, selective beta-blocker-treated eyes tended to have decreased vessel resistance. Our current results comparing non-selective and selective beta-blockers suggest that the selective beta-blocker betaxolol may be more appropriate for maintenance of retinal blood flow in situations with low perfusion. Currently the mechanism for regulation of IOP is unclear; however, the findings from this study indicate that decreased CiBF may contribute to reduction in IOP.

  16. Comparison of analgesic effect of preoperative topical diclofenac and ketorolac on postoperative pain after photorefractive keratectomy.

    PubMed

    Hong, Jin Pyo; Nam, Sang Min; Im, Chan Young; Yoon, Sangchul; Kim, Tae-Im; Kim, Eung Kweon; Seo, Kyoung Yul

    2014-10-01

    To investigate changes in the pain-suppressing potency of 2 preoperatively applied topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) using a time-serial pain-scoring system. Saeyan Eye Center, Seoul, South Korea. Comparative case series. Ninety-four patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups: ketorolac group (ketorolac 0.5% in 1 eye and ofloxacin 0.3% in the other eye) and diclofenac group (diclofenac 0.1% in 1 eye and ofloxacin 0.3% in the other eye). One drop of each ophthalmic drug was applied 3 times to each eye 30 minutes before PRK. No other NSAID or steroid was prescribed until 4 days after PRK. The patients were asked to score the postoperative pain in each eye with a visual analog scale at 6, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 hours. The natural peak of pain was located between 24 and 36 hours. Initially, the degree of pain reduction was constant for both NSAIDs; it dropped after 24 hours and 36 hours in the ketorolac group and the diclofenac group, respectively. The postoperative time-serial pattern of the pain score changed in the diclofenac group but not in the ketorolac group compared with the pattern in the ofloxacin-treated eye. The visual outcome was not affected by either NSAID, and significant complications were not noticed for a mean of 7 months. The duration and pattern of the action may vary according to types of NSAIDs. Preemptive topical diclofenac 0.1% was a safe and effective method for post-PRK pain control. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2014 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. [Summary of the practice guideline 'The red eye' (first revision) of the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG)].

    PubMed

    van der Weele, G M; Rietveld, R P; Wiersma, Tj; Goudswaard, A N

    2007-06-02

    The revised NHG-guideline 'The red eye' provides recommendations for the diagnosis and therapy in patients with a red eye. In the presence of pain, decreased visual acuity and photophobia (alarm symptoms) should be considered as sight threatening conditions. In most instances a red eye results from conjunctivitis. The complaint of (an) early morning glued eye(s) makes a bacterial origin of acute infectious conjunctivitis more likely. Itching and a history of infectious conjunctivitis make the probability of bacterial involvement less likely. The type of discharge does not help to adequately distinguish bacterial from viral conjunctivitis. Since an infectious conjunctivitis is a self-limiting condition, no treatment is necessary as a rule. Antibiotic treatment is only rational if conjunctivitis is (most probably) caused by bacteria. It has to be considered only if a patient suffers from much discomfort, if complaints do not begin to decline after 3 days and in patients with preexisting corneal defects. Because of widespread resistance to fusidic acid this should in principle not be prescribed for treatment of conjunctivitis; chloramphenicol is still the drug of choice. During revision of the guideline discussions concentrated on 2 aspects: the position of slit lamp biomicroscopy in general practice and giving a patient with keratoconjunctivitis photoelectrica the remainder of a 'minim' with anaesthetic eye drops. Regarding both topics it was decided not to change the recommendations of the former version of the guideline: the use of slit lamp biomicroscopy remains optional for general practitioners and it remains permitted to give the remainder of a 'minim' with anaesthetic eye drops to a patient with keratoconjunctivitis photoelectrica.

  18. 21 CFR 349.70 - Labeling of ophthalmic hypertonicity drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... “hypertonicity” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form, e.g., drops).” (b... supervision of a doctor. If you experience eye pain, changes in vision, continued redness or irritation of the eye, or if the condition worsens or persists, consult a doctor.” (2) “This product may cause temporary...

  19. 21 CFR 349.70 - Labeling of ophthalmic hypertonicity drug products.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... “hypertonicity” (select one of the following: “eye” or “ophthalmic”) “(insert dosage form, e.g., drops).” (b... supervision of a doctor. If you experience eye pain, changes in vision, continued redness or irritation of the eye, or if the condition worsens or persists, consult a doctor.” (2) “This product may cause temporary...

  20. Relevance of Lipid-Based Products in the Management of Dry Eye Disease.

    PubMed

    Garrigue, Jean-Sébastien; Amrane, Mourad; Faure, Marie-Odile; Holopainen, Juha M; Tong, Louis

    2017-11-01

    Components of the ocular surface synergistically contribute to maintaining and protecting a smooth refractive layer to facilitate the optimal transmission of light. At the air-water interface, the tear film lipid layer (TFLL), a mixture of lipids and proteins, plays a key role in tear surface tension and is important for the physiological hydration of the ocular surface and for ocular homeostasis. Alterations in tear fluid rheology, differences in lipid composition, or downregulation of specific tear proteins are found in most types of ocular surface disease, including dry eye disease (DED). Artificial tears have long been a first line of treatment in DED and aim to replace or supplement tears. More recently, lipid-containing eye drops have been developed to more closely mimic the combination of aqueous and lipid layers of the TFLL. Over the last 2 decades, our understanding of the nature and importance of lipids in the tear film in health and disease has increased substantially. The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of our current understanding of tear film properties and review the effectiveness of lipid-based products in the treatment of DED. Liposome lid sprays, emulsion eye drops, and other lipid-containing formulations are discussed.

  1. Intraocular pressure control of a novel glaucoma drainage device - in vitro and in vivo studies

    PubMed Central

    Cui, Li-Jun; Li, Di-Chen; Liu, Jian; Zhang, Lei; Xing, Yao

    2017-01-01

    AIM To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) control of an artificial trabeculum drainage system (ATDS), a newly designed glaucoma drainage device, and postoperative complications in normal rabbit eyes. METHODS Pressure drops in air and fluid of 30 ATDS were measured after being connected to a closed manometric system. Twenty of them were then chosen and implanted randomly into the eyes of 20 rabbits. Postoperative slit-lamp, gonioscopic examination and IOP measurements were recorded periodically. Ultrasound biomicroscopy and B-scan ultrasonography were also used to observe the complications. Eyes were enucleated on day 60. RESULTS Pressure drops of 4.6-9.4 mm Hg were obtained at physiological aqueous flow rates in the tests in vitro. The average postoperative IOP of the experimental eyes (11.6-12.8 mm Hg) was lower than the controls significantly (P<0.05) at each time point. Complications of hemorrhage (n=1), cellulosic exudation (two cases) and local iris congestion (two cases) were observed. The lumina of the devices were devoid of obstructions in all specimens examined and a thin fibrous capsule was found around the endplate. CONCLUSION ATDS reduce IOP effectively. However, further studies on the structure are needed to reduce complications. PMID:28944192

  2. Rapid corneal thinning and perforated ulcerative keratitis in a patient with relapsing polychondritis.

    PubMed

    Lai, Tracy Hiu Ting; Far, Nikki; Young, Alvin Lerrmann; Jhanji, Vishal

    2017-01-01

    To report rapid corneal thinning and perforation in a case with relapsing polychondritis. A 43 year-old male diagnosed with relapsing polychondritis suffered from bilateral scleritis, bilateral swelling of pinna, saddle nose and tracheal stenosis. The patient presented with right eye pain and redness for one month. Slit lamp examination of the right eye showed 80% peripheral corneal thinning between 3 and 7 o'clock. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 1.0 bilaterally. The degree of corneal thinning worsened to 90% after one week of oral corticosteroid use. Subsequently, topical cyclosporine 2% eye drops four times a day, oral doxycycline 100 mg twice a day and oral vitamin C 2 g daily were added. The corneal thinning gradually improved to about 60%. However, the patient rapidly tapered oral prednisolone against medical advice and returned with an acute drop in vision in his right eye. Slit lamp examination of the right eye showed peripheral corneal perforation with iris prolapse. An emergency repair with cyanoacrylate glue was performed. Intravenous methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg body weight was administered for three days and 1 g/day intravenous immunoglobulin was administered every four weeks. At 3 months postoperatively, BCVA in the right eye was 0.6. Slit lamp examination showed a well-formed anterior chamber with glue in situ. Relapsing polychondritis may be associated with rapid corneal thinning. The clinicians should be aware of the possibility of corneal perforation in these cases. Cyanoacrylate glue is a viable temporary management option in such scenarios.

  3. Falling drops skating on a film of air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rubinstein, Shmuel

    2012-02-01

    When a raindrop hits a window, the surface immediately becomes wet as the water spreads. Indeed, this common observation of a drop impacting a surface is ubiquitous in our everyday experience. I will show that the impact of a drop on a surface is a much richer, more complex phenomenon than our simple experience may suggests: To completely wet the surface the drop must first expel all the air beneath it; however, this does not happened instantaneously. Instead, a very thin film of air, only a few tens of nanometers thick, remains trapped between the falling drop and the surface as the fluid spreads. The thin film of air serves to lubricate the drop enabling the fluid to skate laterally outward at strikingly high velocities. Simultaneously, the wetting fluid spreads inward at a much slower velocity, trapping a bubble of air within the drop. However, these events occur at diminutive length scales and fleeting time scales; therefore, to visualize them we develop new imaging modalities that are sensitive to the behavior right at the surface and that have time resolution superior to even the very fastest cameras. These imaging techniques reveal that the ultimate wetting of the surface occurs through a completely new mechanism, the breakup of the thin film of air through a spinodal like dewetting process that breaks the cylindrical symmetry of the impact and drives an anomalously rapid spreading of a wetting front. These results are in accord with recent theoretical predictions and challenge the prevailing paradigm in which contact between the liquid and solid occurs immediately, and spreading is dominated by the dynamics of a single contact line.

  4. Daily cost of glaucoma medications in China.

    PubMed

    Gao, Ying; Wu, Lingling; Li, Aijun

    2007-01-01

    To determine and compare the daily cost of various glaucoma medications in China. The majority of glaucoma medications commercially available in China were included in this research. The total number of drops in 1 bottle of each medication was counted drop by drop. The mean volume per bottle of each medication was calculated. The cost per drop, number of days for both eyes usage per bottle, and daily cost was calculated. (1) The volume per drop ranged from 0.03 mL (brinzolamide 1%, travoprost 0.004%, bimatoprost 0.03%, and latanoprost 0.005%) to 0.05 mL (timolol 0.5%-Chengrui and pilocarpine 0.5% and 2%-Zhenrui). (2) The cost per bottle ranged from $0.69 (US dollar) (timolol 0.5%-Malaisuan Saimaluo'er) to $40.78 (latanoprost 0.005%). (3) The number of days for both eyes usage per bottle ranged from 52 days (bimatoprost 0.03%) to 11 days (pilocarpine nitrate 0.5%-Zhenrui). (4) The daily cost for both eyes usage from expensive to cheap were latanoprost 0.005%-$0.91, travoprost 0.004%-$0.77, brimonidine 0.2%-$0.61, bimatoprost 0.03%-$0.46, D-timolol 1%-$0.36, brinzolamide 1%-$0.34, pilocarpine 2%-Zhenrui-$0.28, levobunolol 0.5%-$0.25, betaxolol 0.25%-$0.24, pilocarpine 0.5%-Zhenrui-$0.18, pilocarpine 2%-Huming-$0.16, carteolol 1%-Mikelan-$0.15, carteolol 2%-Mikelan-$0.15, pilocarpine 1%-Huming-$0.10, timolol 0.5%-Chengrui-$0.08, timolol 0.5%-Malaisuan Saimaluo'er-$0.03. The daily cost of glaucoma medications in China ranged much more wildly than developed countries. These data may be useful in selecting medications for glaucoma therapy. The ophthalmic solution of prostaglandins is powerful in reducing intraocular pressure. However, its high price should be considered when selecting glaucoma medications in China.

  5. A comparison of the self-reported dry eye practices of New Zealand optometrists and ophthalmologists.

    PubMed

    Xue, Ally L; Downie, Laura E; Ormonde, Susan E; Craig, Jennifer P

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to evaluate the self-reported clinical practices of New Zealand optometrists and ophthalmologists with respect to the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease. It also sought to compare these behaviours with the current research evidence base. An anonymous survey was distributed electronically to New Zealand eye care clinicians (optometrists n = 614, ophthalmologists n = 113) to determine practitioner interest in dry eye disease, practice experience, practice modality, preferred diagnostic and management strategies, and information used to guide patient care. Respondents from both professions (response rates, optometrists: 26%, ophthalmologists: 26%) demonstrated similarly strong knowledge of tear film assessment. Ninety percent of respondents ranked patient symptoms and meibomian gland evaluation as the most valuable and common diagnostic approaches. Conversely, standardised grading scales and validated dry eye questionnaires were infrequently adopted. Both professions tailored dry eye management according to severity, indicating eyelid hygiene and non-preserved lubricants as mainstay therapies. Ophthalmologists prescribed systemic tetracyclines significantly more often than optometrists for moderate (48% vs 11%) and severe (72% vs 32%) dry eye (p < 0.05). Continuing education conferences were acknowledged as the primary information source used to guide dry eye management practices by both professions. Consistent with evidence-based guidelines, New Zealand eye care professionals combine subjective and objective techniques to diagnose and stratify dry eye management according to disease severity. There is potential to improve dissemination of research evidence into clinical practice, with continuing education via professional conferences the favoured mode of delivery. © 2017 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2017 The College of Optometrists.

  6. Minor Salivary Gland Transplantation for Severe Dry Eyes.

    PubMed

    Wakamatsu, Tais Hitomi; SantʼAnna, Ana Estela Besteti Pires Ponce; Cristovam, Priscila Cardoso; Alves, Venâncio Avancini Ferreira; Wakamatsu, Alda; Gomes, José Alvaro Pereira

    2017-11-01

    Dry eye is a multifactorial disease comprising a wide spectrum of ocular surface alterations and symptoms of discomfort. In most patients with aqueous-deficient dry eye, pharmaceutical tear substitutes are used to control symptoms and prevent ocular surface damage. However, in severe dry eye conditions caused by cicatricial disorders, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and ocular cicatricial mucous membrane pemphigoid, noninvasive treatments are insufficient, and patients are at risk of developing complications that can lead to blindness. The use of salivary glands as a source of lubrication to treat severe cases of dry eye has been proposed by different authors. The first reports proposed parotid or submandibular gland duct transplantation into the conjunctival fornix. However, complications limited the functional outcomes. Minor salivary gland autotransplantation together with labial mucosa has been used as a complex graft to the conjunctival fornix in severe dry eye with a good outcome. Our group demonstrated significant improvements in best-corrected visual acuity, Schirmer I test score, corneal transparency, and neovascularization after using this technique. A symptoms questionnaire applied to these patients revealed improvements in foreign body sensation, photophobia, and pain. Similar to tears, saliva has a complex final composition comprising electrolytes, immunoglobulins, proteins, enzymes, and mucins. We demonstrated the viability of minor salivary glands transplanted into the fornix of patients with dry eye by performing immunohistochemistry on graft biopsies with antibodies against lactoferrin, lysozyme, MUC1, and MUC16. The findings revealed the presence of functional salivary gland units, indicating local production of proteins, enzymes, and mucins.

  7. Mechanistic modeling of ophthalmic drug delivery to the anterior chamber by eye drops and contact lenses.

    PubMed

    Gause, Samuel; Hsu, Kuan-Hui; Shafor, Chancellor; Dixon, Phillip; Powell, Kristin Conrad; Chauhan, Anuj

    2016-07-01

    Ophthalmic drug for the anterior chamber diseases are delivered into tears by either eye drops or by extended release devices placed in the eyes. The instilled drug exits the eye through various routes including tear drainage into the nose through the canaliculi and transport across various ocular membranes. Understanding the mechanisms relevant to each route can be useful in predicting the dependency of ocular bioavailability on various formulation parameters, such as drug concentration, salinity, viscosity, etc. Mathematical modeling has been developed for each of the routes and validated by comparison with experiments. The individual models can be combined into a system model to predict the fraction of the instilled drug that reaches the target. This review summarizes the individual models for the transport of drugs across the cornea and conjunctiva and the canaliculi tear drainage. It also summarizes the combined tear dynamics model that can predict the ocular bioavailability of drugs instilled as eye drops. The predictions from the individual models and the combined model are in good agreement with experimental data. Both experiments and models predict that the corneal bioavailability for drugs delivered through eye drops is less than 5% due to the small area of the cornea in comparison to the conjunctiva, and the rapid clearance of the instilled solution by tear drainage. A contact lens is a natural choice for delivering drugs to the cornea due to the placement of the contact in the immediate vicinity of the cornea. The drug released by the contact towards the cornea surface is trapped in the post lens tear film for extended duration of at least 30min allowing transport of a large portion into the cornea. The model predictions backed by in vivo animal and clinical data show that the bioavailability increases to about 50% with contact lenses. This realization has encouraged considerable research towards delivering ocular drugs by contact lenses. Commercial contacts are, however, not ideal for drug delivery due to the short release durations which may necessitate wearing multiple lenses each day, reducing the viability of this approach. Recent research has focused on designing contacts that retain all critical properties while increasing the release durations to a few hours or a few days. Beagle dog studies with contact lenses containing vitamin E nanobarriers to attenuate drug transport have shown promising results. Human studies using contacts for drug delivery have also been conducted for allergy therapy but drug eluting contacts are not available in the market for any therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Collyria seals in the Roman Empire.

    PubMed

    Perez-Cambrodi, Rafael J; Pinero, David P; Mavrou, Ariadni; Cervino, Alejandro; Brautaset, Rune; Murube del Castillo, Juan

    2013-01-01

    Roman seals associated with collyria (Latin expression for eye drops/washes and lotions for eye maintenance) provide valuable information about eye care in the antiquity. These small, usually stone-made pieces bore engravings with the names of eye doctors and also the collyria used to treat an eye disease. The collyria seals have been found all over the Roman empire and Celtic territories in particular and were usually associated with military camps. In Hispania (Iberian Peninsula), only three collyria seals have been found. These findings speak about eye care in this ancient Roman province as well as about of the life of the time. This article takes a look at the utility and social significance of the collyria seals and seeks to give an insight in the ophthalmological practice of in the Roman Empire.

  9. Simulation of Thin Film Equations on an Eye-Shaped Domain with Moving Boundary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brosch, Joseph; Driscoll, Tobin; Braun, Richard

    During a normal eye blink, the upper lid moves, and during the upstroke the lid paints a thin tear film over the exposed corneal and conjunctival surfaces. This thin tear film may be modeled by a nonlinear fourth-order PDE derived from lubrication theory. A major stumbling block in the numerical simulation of this model is to include both the geometry of the eye and the movement of the eyelid. Using a pair of orthogonal and conformal maps, we transform a computational box into a rough representation of a human eye where we proceed to simulate the thin tear film equations. Although we give up some realism, we gain spectrally accurate numerical methods on the computational box. We have applied this method to the heat equation on the blinking domain with both Dirichlet and no-flux boundary conditions, in each case demonstrating at least 10 digits of accuracy.. We are able to perform these simulations very quickly (generally in under a minute) using a desktop version of MATLAB. This project was supported by Grant 1022706 (R.J.B., T.A.D., J.K.B.) from the NSF.

  10. [Usage and efficacy of timolol maleate eye drops in treatment of superficial infantile hemangioma].

    PubMed

    Wu, Qizhen; Shi, Qingmei; Long, Jianhong; Li, Jiaguang; Guo, Yu; Lei, Shaorong

    2017-06-28

    To determine drug dose and usage of timolol maleate eye drops in the treatment of superficial infantile hemangioma.
 Methods: A total of 250 superficial hemangioma infants were recruited and assigned into 5 groups (n=50 for each group): an external application group and 4 exterior coating groups (2, 4, 6, 8 times per day). We evaluated the therapeutic effect of different methods for drug application (external application or exterior coating) and the frequency for drug administration on superficial infantile hemangioma.
 Results: The external application group (twice a day and 0.5 hour per time) showed better effect than that in the exterior coating group with twice a day (P<0.001). The difference in therapeutic effect between the exterior coating group with 6 times a day and exterior coating group with twice a day or with 3 times a day was significant (P<0.001). The differences in drug efficacy were not found among the exterior coating group with 6 times a day, the exterior coating group with 8 times a day, or the external application group with twice a day (All P>0.05).
 Conclusion: Drug dose may affect the therapeutic effect of timolol maleate eye drops in superficial hemangioma infants, and exterior coating with 6 times a day may achieve the best curative effect.

  11. Passage through the Ocular Barriers and Beneficial Effects in Retinal Ischemia of Topical Application of PACAP1-38 in Rodents

    PubMed Central

    Werling, Dora; Banks, William A.; Salameh, Therese S.; Kvarik, Timea; Kovacs, Laszlo Akos; Vaczy, Alexandra; Szabo, Edina; Mayer, Flora; Varga, Rita; Tamas, Andrea; Toth, Gabor; Biro, Zsolt; Atlasz, Tamas; Reglodi, Dora

    2017-01-01

    The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) has two active forms, PACAP1-27 and PACAP1-38. Among the well-established actions are PACAP’s neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects, which have also been proven in models of different retinopathies. The route of delivery is usually intravitreal in studies proving PACAP’s retinoprotective effects. Recently, we have shown that PACAP1-27 delivered as eye drops in benzalkonium-chloride was able to cross the ocular barriers and exert retinoprotection in ischemia. Since PACAP1-38 is the dominant form of the naturally occurring PACAP, our aim was to investigate whether the longer form is also able to cross the barriers and exert protective effects in permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO), a model of retinal hypoperfusion. Our results show that radioactive PACAP1-38 eye drops could effectively pass through the ocular barriers to reach the retina. Routine histological analysis and immunohistochemical evaluation of the Müller glial cells revealed that PACAP1-38 exerted retinoprotective effects. PACAP1-38 attenuated the damage caused by hypoperfusion, apparent in almost all retinal layers, and it decreased the glial cell overactivation. Overall, our results confirm that PACAP1-38 given in the form of eye drops is a novel protective therapeutic approach to treat retinal diseases. PMID:28335564

  12. Controlled Release of Antibiotics From Vitamin E-Loaded Silicone-Hydrogel Contact Lenses.

    PubMed

    Paradiso, Patrizia; Serro, Ana Paula; Saramago, Benilde; Colaço, Rogério; Chauhan, Anuj

    2016-03-01

    Symptoms of bacterial and fungal keratitis are typically treated through the frequent application of antibiotic and antifungal eye drops. The high frequency of half hourly or hourly eye drop administration required to treat these indications is tedious and could reduce compliance. Here, we combine in vitro experiments with a mathematical model to develop therapeutic soft contact lenses to cure keratitis by extended release of suitable drugs. We specifically focus on increasing the release duration of levofloxacin and chlorhexidine from 1-DAY ACUVUE(®) TrueEye™ and ACUVUE OASYS(®) contact lenses by incorporating vitamin E diffusion barriers. Results show that 20% of vitamin E loading in the contact lens increases the release duration of levofloxacin to 100 h and 50 h from 1-DAY ACUVUE(®) TrueEye™ and ACUVUE OASYS(®), respectively, which is a 3- and 6-fold increase, respectively, for the 2 lenses. For chlorhexidine, the increase is 2.5- and 10-fold, for the TrueEye™ and OASYS(®), respectively, to 130 h and 170 h. The mass of drug loaded in the lenses can be controlled to achieve a daily release comparable to the commonly prescribed eye drop therapy. The vitamin E-loaded lenses retain all critical properties for in vivo use. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. High prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

    PubMed

    Mabuchi, Fumihiko; Yoshimura, Kimio; Kashiwagi, Kenji; Shioe, Kunihiko; Yamagata, Zentaro; Kanba, Shigenobu; Iijima, Hiroyuki; Tsukahara, Shigeo

    2008-01-01

    To assess anxiety and depression in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Multicenter prospective case-control study. Two hundred thirty patients with POAG and 230 sex-matched and age-matched reference subjects with no chronic ocular conditions except cataracts. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire, which consists of 2 subscales with ranges of 0 to 21, representing anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D). The prevalence of POAG patients with anxiety (a score of more than 10 on the HADS-A) or depression (a score of more than 10 on the HADS-D) was compared with that in the reference subjects. The prevalence of patients with depression was compared between the POAG patients with and without current beta-blocker eye drops. The prevalence (13.0%) of POAG patients with anxiety was significantly higher (P=0.030) than in the reference subjects (7.0%). The prevalence (10.9%) of POAG patients with depression was significantly higher (P=0.026) than in the reference subjects (5.2%). Between the POAG patients with and without beta-blocker eye-drops, no significant difference (P=0.93) in the prevalence of depression was noted. POAG was related to anxiety and depression. No significant relationship between the use of beta-blocker eye-drops and depression was noted.

  14. Metolazone

    MedlinePlus

    ... in a class of medications called diuretics ('water pills'). It causes the kidneys to reduce the amount ... of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, ...

  15. Bumetanide

    MedlinePlus

    ... in a class of medications called diuretics ('water pills'). It works by causing the kidneys to get ... of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, ...

  16. Sildenafil

    MedlinePlus

    ... Revatio) is the best medication to treat a child's condition. Sildenafil is in a class of medications ... eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. ...

  17. A Survey on the Preference of Sustained Glaucoma Drug Delivery Systems by Singaporean Chinese Patients: A Comparison Between Subconjunctival, Intracameral, and Punctal Plug Routes.

    PubMed

    Chan, Hiok Hong; Wong, Tina T; Lamoureux, Ecosse; Perera, Shamira

    2015-09-01

    To investigate the acceptance and preferences rates of 3 sustained drug delivery systems in glaucoma patients. A cross-sectional study involving 250 Chinese patients recruited from outpatient glaucoma clinics in Singapore using an interviewer-administered survey. Beliefs toward medicines, eye drops, illness perception, medication adherence, and health literacy were assessed using validated questionnaires. After receiving standard information on the 3 sustained drug delivery systems, that is, subconjunctival, intracameral, and punctal routes; each route's acceptance and attitudes were determined. The subconjunctival (acceptance: 61.6%, n=154), intracameral (acceptance: 57.2%, n=143), and punctal (acceptance: 63.2%, n=158) routes were willing to be accepted by the majority of the interviewed patients. Among those, 78.6%, 79.1%, and 78.5% were willing to pay an equal or higher cost compared with their current eye drops for the subconjunctival, intracameral, and punctal plug routes, respectively. Independent factors associated with the acceptance for subconjunctival, intracameral, and punctal plug routes included: male sex (P=0.007, 0.014, 0.046, respectively), patients not on health care subsidies (P=0.022, 0.002, 0.016, respectively), and bilateral glaucoma disease (P=0.003, 0.013, 0.004, respectively). A total of 120 (48.0%) patients ranked punctal plug placement as the preferred route for sustained drug delivery followed by subconjunctival (n=76, 30.4%) and intracameral (n=54, 21.6%) routes. Sustained drug delivery for the medical treatment of glaucoma is an acceptable alternative to daily eye drop administration by most Singaporean Chinese individuals in this study. Male patients, nonsubsidized patients, and those with bilateral glaucoma were independently associated with preference of these 3 alternative routes of administration to traditional glaucoma drops.

  18. In vitro drug release and in vivo safety of vitamin E and cysteamine loaded contact lenses.

    PubMed

    Dixon, Phillip; Fentzke, Richard C; Bhattacharya, Arnab; Konar, Aditya; Hazra, Sarbani; Chauhan, Anuj

    2018-06-15

    Cystinosis is an orphan disease caused by a genetic mutation that leads to deposition of cystine crystals in many organs including cornea. Ophthalmic manifestation of the disease can be treated with hourly instillation of cysteamine eye drops. The hourly eye drop instillation is tedious to the patients leading to poor compliance and additionally, significant degradation of the drug occurs within one week of opening the bottle, which further complicates this delivery approach. This paper focuses on designing a contact lens to treat the disease with improved efficacy compared to eye drops, and also exploring safety of the drug eluding contact lens in an animal model. Our goal is to design a lens that is safe and that can deliver a daily therapeutic dose of cysteamine to the cornea while retaining drug stability. We show that cysteamine diffuses out rapidly from all lenses due to its small size. Vitamin E incorporation increases the release duration of both ACUVUE ® OASYS ® and ACUVUE ® TruEye TM but the effect is more pronounced in TruEye TM likely due to the low solubility of vitamin E in the lens matrix and higher aspect ratio of the barriers. The barriers are not effective in hydrogel lenses, which along with the high aspect ratio in silicone hydrogels suggests that barriers could be forming at the interface of the silicone and hydrogel phases. The presence of vitamin E has an additional beneficial effect of reduction in the oxidation rates, likely due to a transport barrier between the oxygen diffusing through the silicone channels and drug located in the hydrogel phase. Based on this study, both Acuvue ® OASYS ® and ACUVUE ® TruEye TM can be loaded with vitamin E to design a cysteamine eluting contact lenses for effective therapy of cystinosis. The lenses must be worn for about 4-5 hr. each day, which is less than the typical duration of daily-wear. The vitamin E and cysteamine loaded lenses did not exhibit any toxicity in a rabbit model over a period of 7-days. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Sensing Passive Eye Response to Impact Induced Head Acceleration Using MEMS IMUs.

    PubMed

    Meng, Yuan; Bottenfield, Brent; Bolding, Mark; Liu, Lei; Adams, Mark L

    2018-02-01

    The eye may act as a surrogate for the brain in response to head acceleration during an impact. Passive eye movements in a dynamic system are sensed by microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial measurement units (IMU) in this paper. The technique is validated using a three-dimensional printed scaled human skull model and on human volunteers by performing drop-and-impact experiments with ribbon-style flexible printed circuit board IMUs inserted in the eyes and reference IMUs on the heads. Data are captured by a microcontroller unit and processed using data fusion. Displacements are thus estimated and match the measured parameters. Relative accelerations and displacements of the eye to the head are computed indicating the influence of the concussion causing impacts.

  20. Effect of oxybuprocaine 0.4% in preventing surgically induced miosis.

    PubMed Central

    van Rij, G; Renardel de Lavalette, J G; Baarsma, G S; Jansen, J T

    1984-01-01

    In a group of 68 patients a double-blind study was performed to assess the effect of preoperative oxybuprocaine 0.4% (Dorsacaine, Novesin) eye drops in comparison with a placebo in preventing surgically induced miosis during extracapsular cataract extraction. One drop of oxybuprocaine 0.4% or placebo was instilled 10 and 5 minutes preoperatively. The pupil diameter was recorded at different stages of the operation. It was found that oxybuprocaine reduced the amount of pupil constriction during the operation significantly as compared with the placebo group, facilitating the removal of lens material and the implantation of an intraocular lens. The effect of oxybuprocaine is considered to be due to anaesthetic action on sensory nerves in the eye, which may inhibit the release of a miotic substance. PMID:6367812

  1. Effect of oxybuprocaine 0.4% in preventing surgically induced miosis.

    PubMed

    van Rij, G; Renardel de Lavalette, J G; Baarsma, G S; Jansen, J T

    1984-04-01

    In a group of 68 patients a double-blind study was performed to assess the effect of preoperative oxybuprocaine 0.4% (Dorsacaine, Novesin) eye drops in comparison with a placebo in preventing surgically induced miosis during extracapsular cataract extraction. One drop of oxybuprocaine 0.4% or placebo was instilled 10 and 5 minutes preoperatively. The pupil diameter was recorded at different stages of the operation. It was found that oxybuprocaine reduced the amount of pupil constriction during the operation significantly as compared with the placebo group, facilitating the removal of lens material and the implantation of an intraocular lens. The effect of oxybuprocaine is considered to be due to anaesthetic action on sensory nerves in the eye, which may inhibit the release of a miotic substance.

  2. Conjunctiva-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (CALT) Reactions to Antiglaucoma Prostaglandins with or without BAK-Preservative in Rabbit Acute Toxicity Study

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Hong; Baudouin, Christophe; Labbe, Antoine; Riancho, Luisa; Brignole-Baudouin, Françoise

    2012-01-01

    Conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) is closely associated with ocular surface immunity. This study investigated the effects of antiglaucoma prostaglandin analogs with or without benzalkonium chloride (BAK) preservative on organized CALT using an acute toxic model. A total of 48 albino rabbits were used and seven groups of treatments were constituted. Solutions (50 µl) of PBS, 0.02%BAK, 0.02%BAK+latanoprost, 0.015%BAK+travoprost, 0.005%BAK+bimatoprost, BAK-freetravoprost preserved with the SofZia® system or BAK-freetafluprost were instilled 15 times at 5-min intervals in both eyes. CALT changes were analyzed using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), immunohistology in cryosections for detecting MUC-5AC+ mucocytes and CD45+ hematopoietic cells. Antiglaucoma eye drops stimulated inflammatory cell infiltration in the CALT, and seemed to be primarily related to the concentration of their BAK content. The CALT reaction after instillation of BAK-containing eye drops was characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration in the dome and intrafollicular layers and by cell circulation inside the lymph vessels. CD45 was strongly expressed in the CALT after instillation of all BAK-containing solutions at 4 h and decreased at 24 h. The number of MUC-5AC+ mucocytes around the CALT structure decreased dramatically after instillation of BAK-containing solutions. This study showed for the first time the in vivo aspect of rabbit CALT after toxic stimuli, confirming the concentration-dependent toxic effects of BAK. IVCM-CALT analysis could be a pertinent tool in the future for understanding the immunotoxicologic challenges in the ocular surface and would provide useful criteria for evaluating newly developed eye drops. PMID:22442734

  3. A preliminary study of the neuroprotective role of citicoline eye drops in glaucomatous optic neuropathy

    PubMed Central

    Roberti, Gloria; Tanga, Lucia; Parisi, Vincenzo; Sampalmieri, Massimo; Centofanti, Marco; Manni, Gianluca

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To study the neuroprotective effect of topical citicoline. Materials and Methods: Experimental phase to evaluate the ability of citicoline eye drops to reach the vitreous and the retina: The right eyes of 5 mice CD1 were treated with two drops per day for three days of citicoline 1% and 2% (OMK1, Omikron Italia s.r.l.), and then the vitreous was analyzed with the liquid chromatography and spectrometry mass (LC-MS/MS). Clinical phase to determine if topical citicoline is able to delay glaucoma progression, considering perimetric parameters and electro functional tests. Patients were randomized in two groups, OMK1 and OAG. The first group was treated with OMK1 three times per day, plus hypotensive therapy for two months and one month of wash out. The second group was treated only with hypotensive treatment for three months. Results: LC-MS/MS detected the molecule very well, and only OMK1 showed systemic absorption. Thirty-four patients were enrolled, 16 in the OMK1 and 18 in the OAG group. Perimetric parameters showed a positive trend in individual eyes of patients in OMK1 group, but these values were not statistically significant in the whole group. Retinal ganglion cells function improved as shown by reduced P50 latency (P = 0.04) and increased P50-N95 amplitude (P < 0.0001) of pattern electroretinogram, up to 30 days after the washout (P = 0.01; P = 0.002). Visual evoked potential and retino-cortical time improvement regressed after 30 days of washout. In OAG group, there was any change during the follow-up. No adverse reactions were reported in both groups. Conclusions: Topical citicoline seems to have a neuroprotective action. PMID:24881599

  4. Electronic compliance monitoring of topical treatment after ophthalmic surgery.

    PubMed

    Hermann, Manuel Marcel; Ustündag, Can; Diestelhorst, Michael

    2010-08-01

    The success of many medical treatments is built on compliance. Electronic monitoring is the most accurate tool to quantify compliance by measuring adherence. In order to assess the efficiency of a recently introduced miniature monitoring device for eye drop application, we evaluated adherence in ophthalmic patients undergoing post-operative short-term topical treatment. This pilot study enrolled 30 outpatients (mean age 61.8 +/- 18.5 years) after cataract (n = 24) and glaucoma filtration surgery (n = 6) applying fixed-combination eye drops containing prednisolone and gentamicin five times daily for 2 weeks. Patients received eye drops in conventional bottles each equipped with a miniature monitoring device recording events of application. Two patients failed to bring back the monitoring device; therefore data collected from only 28 patients could be examined. Data showed highly variable results with a mean dose compliance of 50.2%. Dose compliance was below 25% in approximately one out of five patients. Four cataract patients, but no glaucoma patient, discontinued therapy prematurely. The observed mean dosage interval was calculated for each patient and ranged 4.6-19.7 h. Thirty percent of analysed dosage intervals exceeded 12.0 h. Different patterns of compliance behaviour-like early non-persistence, drug holiday and low treatment frequency could be identified and illustrated using electronic data. Age or gender did not significantly influence compliance rates. Our pilot study demonstrates successful electronic compliance monitoring using a technology capable of continuous data recording over weeks of treatment. The low compliance rate for a relevant part of the patients demonstrates the necessity to study and improve compliance in ophthalmology. In future, new application methods and electronic application devices may improve treatment response in eye care.

  5. Toward low friction in water for Mo2N/Ag coatings by tailoring the wettability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dai, Xuan; Wen, Mao; Huang, Keke; Wang, Xin; Yang, Lina; Wang, Jia; Zhang, Kan

    2018-07-01

    Increasing demands for robust surfaces in harsh conditions, such as erosion, abrasion and sea-water, has stimulated the development of self-lubricated protective coatings. Meanwhile, due to the oil crisis, research in water lubrication again attracts much attention from both academics and practical engineers. Here, a higher hydrophilicity accompanying with a remarkable drop of friction coefficient in water environment was achieved successfully in Mo2N/Ag coatings by increasing Ag content. To do these, the Mo2N/Ag coatings with different Ag content were deposited by co-sputtering, which exhibit a nanocomposite structure consisting of precipitate Ag embedded in the Mo2N matrix. The high hydrophilicity can be ascribed to the combined contributions of the partial oxidation of Mo2N and high polarity of Ag precipitates. The decrease of friction coefficient is illustrated by the colloidal friction products and a mode with electric double layer. In which, enhanced hydrophilicity will result in forming a thin "water film" layer between the interface of counterpart and the coatings. And the MoOx/Ag2Mo4O13 derived from the hydrolysis action of Mo2N/Ag sliding in water could function as lubricant phase. Meanwhile, these negative charged MoOx/Ag2Mo4O13 colloidal particles induce the rearrangement of positive ions in the "water film" and form an electric double layer, which also contributes to the decrease of friction coefficient.

  6. Treatment of Sjögren's syndrome-associated dry eye an evidence-based review.

    PubMed

    Akpek, Esen Karamursel; Lindsley, Kristina B; Adyanthaya, Rohit S; Swamy, Ramya; Baer, Alan N; McDonnell, Peter J

    2011-07-01

    Outcomes-based review of reported treatment options for patients with dry eye secondary to Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Dry eye affects many individuals worldwide. Significant proportion of patients with dry eye has underlying SS, a progressive autoimmune condition. The few suggested guidelines for the treatment of dry eye are mostly based on severity of symptoms and/or clinical findings rather than on outcomes analysis, and do not differentiate SS from other causes of dry eye. METHODS AND LITERATURE REVIEW: A search strategy was developed to identify prospective, interventional studies of treatments for SS-associated dry eye from electronic databases. Eligible references were restricted to English-language articles published after 1975. These sources were augmented by hand searches of reference lists from accessed articles. Study selection, data extraction, and grading of evidence were completed independently by ≥4 review authors. The searches identified 3559 references as of August 10, 2010. After duplicate review of the titles and abstracts, 245 full-text papers were assessed, 62 of which were relevant for inclusion in the review. In the current literature on SS-associated dry eye, there is a paucity of rigorous clinical trials to support therapy recommendations. Nonetheless, the recommended treatments include topical lubricants, topical anti-inflammatory therapy, and tear-conserving strategies. The efficacy of oral secretagogues seems greater in the treatment of oral dryness than ocular dryness. Although oral hydroxychloroquine is commonly prescribed to patients with SS to alleviate fatigue and arthralgias, the literature lacks strong evidence for the efficacy of this treatment for dry eye. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. A new experimental device to evaluate eye ulcers using a multispectral electrical impedance technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bellotti, Mariela I.; Bast, Walter; Berra, Alejandro; Bonetto, Fabián J.

    2011-07-01

    We present a novel experimental technique to determine eye ulcers in animals using a spectral electrical impedance technique. We expect that this technique will be useful in dry eye syndrome. We used a sensor that is basically a platinum (Pt) microelectrode electrically insulated by glass from a cylindrical stainless steel counter-electrode. This sensor was applied to the naked eye of New Zealand rabbits (2.0-3.5 kg in weight). Whereas half of the eyes were normal (control), we applied to the remainder a few drops of 20% (v/v) alcohol to produce an ulcer in the eye. Using a multispectral electrical impedance system we measured ulcerated and control eyes and observed significant difference between normal and pathological samples. We also investigated the effects of different applied pressures and natural degradation of initially normal eyes as a function of time. We believe that this technique could be sufficiently sensitive and repetitive to help diagnose ocular surface diseases such as dry eye syndrome.

  8. A new experimental device to evaluate eye ulcers using a multispectral electrical impedance technique.

    PubMed

    Bellotti, Mariela I; Bast, Walter; Berra, Alejandro; Bonetto, Fabián J

    2011-07-01

    We present a novel experimental technique to determine eye ulcers in animals using a spectral electrical impedance technique. We expect that this technique will be useful in dry eye syndrome. We used a sensor that is basically a platinum (Pt) microelectrode electrically insulated by glass from a cylindrical stainless steel counter-electrode. This sensor was applied to the naked eye of New Zealand rabbits (2.0-3.5 kg in weight). Whereas half of the eyes were normal (control), we applied to the remainder a few drops of 20% (v/v) alcohol to produce an ulcer in the eye. Using a multispectral electrical impedance system we measured ulcerated and control eyes and observed significant difference between normal and pathological samples. We also investigated the effects of different applied pressures and natural degradation of initially normal eyes as a function of time. We believe that this technique could be sufficiently sensitive and repetitive to help diagnose ocular surface diseases such as dry eye syndrome.

  9. Using corneal confocal microscopy to track changes in the corneal layers of dry eye patients after autologous serum treatment.

    PubMed

    Mahelkova, Gabriela; Jirsova, Katerina; Seidler Stangova, Petra; Palos, Michalis; Vesela, Viera; Fales, Ivan; Jiraskova, Nada; Dotrelova, Dagmar

    2017-05-01

    In vivo corneal confocal microscopy allows the examination of each layer of the cornea in detail and the identification of pathological changes at the cellular level. The purpose of this study was to identify the possible effects of a three-month treatment with autologous serum eye-drops in different corneal layers of patients with severe dry eye disease using corneal confocal microscopy. Twenty-six patients with dry eye disease were included in the study. Corneal fluorescein staining was performed. The corneas of the right eyes were examined using in vivo corneal confocal microscopy before and after a three-month treatment with autologous serum drops. The densities of superficial and basal epithelial cells, Langerhans cells, the keratocytes and activated keratocytes, the density of endothelial cells and the status of the sub-basal nerve plexus fibres were evaluated. A significant decrease in corneal fluorescein staining was found after the three-month autologous serum treatment (p = 0.0006). The basal epithelial cell density decreased significantly (p = 0.001), while the density of superficial epithelial cells did not change significantly (p = 0.473) nor did the number of Langerhans cells or activated keratocytes (p = 0.223; p = 0.307, respectively). There were no differences in the other corneal cell layers or in the status of the nerve fibres. The results demonstrate the ability of corneal confocal microscopy to evaluate an improvement in the basal epithelial cell layer of the cornea after autologous serum treatment in patients with dry eye disease. More studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to elucidate the suitability of corneal confocal microscopy to follow the effect of autologous serum treatment on nerve fibres or other corneal layers in dry eye disease patients. © 2016 Optometry Australia.

  10. A New Approach to Measure Contact Angle and Evaporation Rate with Flow Visualization in a Sessile Drop

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zhang, Nengli; Chao, David F.

    1999-01-01

    The contact angle and the spreading process of sessile droplet are very crucial in many technological processes, such as painting and coating, material processing, film-cooling applications, lubrication, and boiling. Additionally, as it is well known that the surface free energy of polymers cannot be directly, measured for their elastic and viscous restraints. The measurements of liquid contact angle on the polymer surfaces become extremely important to evaluate the surface free energy of polymers through indirect methods linked with the contact angle data. Due to the occurrence of liquid evaporation is inevitable, the effects of evaporation on the contact angle and the spreading become very important for more complete understanding of these processes. It is of interest to note that evaporation can induce Marangoni-Benard convection in sessile drops. However, the impacts of the inside convection on the wetting and spreading processes are not clear. The experimental methods used by previous investigators cannot simultaneously measure the spreading process and visualize the convection inside. Based on the laser shadowgraphic system used by the present author, a very simple optical procedure has been developed to measure the contact angle, the spreading speed, the evaporation rate, and to visualize inside convection of a sessile drop simultaneously. Two CCD cameras were used to synchronously record the real-time diameter of the sessile drop, which is essential for determination of both spreading speed and evaporation rate, and the shadowgraphic image magnified by the sessile drop acting as a thin plano-convex lens. From the shadowgraph, the inside convection of the drop can be observed if any and the image outer diameter, which linked to the drop profile, can be measured. Simple equations have been derived to calculate the drop profile, including the instantaneous contact angle, height, and volume of the sessile drop, as well as the evaporation rate. The influence of the inside convection on the wetting and spreading processes can be figured out through comparison of the drop profiles with and without inside convection when the sessile drop is placed at different evaporation conditions.

  11. Danazol

    MedlinePlus

    ... body and causes infertility, pain before and during menstrual periods, pain during and after sexual activity, and heavy or ... weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and ...

  12. How to Use Eye Drops Properly

    MedlinePlus

    ... of children Copyright 2013, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified, or distributed without the express prior written permission of the ...

  13. Corneal transplant - discharge

    MedlinePlus

    ... heavy lifting. Stay away from dust and blowing sand. Follow your provider's instructions for using eye drops ... A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among ...

  14. International Society of Refractive Surgery of the American Academy of Ophthalmology

    MedlinePlus

    ... Eye Drop Targets Miosis and Accommodation, Femtosecond Laser Lens Softening for Presbyopia Correction Read Outlook ... system below. Google Calendar Outlook or Apple Calendar Yahoo Calendar Note: ...

  15. Topical Application of Apricot Kernel Extract Improves Dry Eye Symptoms in a Unilateral Exorbital Lacrimal Gland Excision Mouse

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Chan-Sik; Jo, Kyuhyung; Lee, Ik-Soo; Kim, Junghyun

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of topical application of apricot kernel extract (AKE) in a unilateral exorbital lacrimal gland excision mouse model of experimental dry eye. Dry eye was induced by surgical removal of the lacrimal gland. Eye drops containing 0.5 or 1 mg/mL AKE were administered twice a day from day 3 to day 7 after surgery. Tear fluid volume and corneal irregularity scores were determined. In addition, we examined the immunohistochemical expression level of Muc4. The topical administration of AKE dose-dependently improved all clinical dry eye symptoms by promoting the secretion of tear fluid and mucin. Thus, the results of this study indicate that AKE may be an efficacious topical agent for treating dry eye disease. PMID:27886047

  16. Topical Application of Apricot Kernel Extract Improves Dry Eye Symptoms in a Unilateral Exorbital Lacrimal Gland Excision Mouse.

    PubMed

    Kim, Chan-Sik; Jo, Kyuhyung; Lee, Ik-Soo; Kim, Junghyun

    2016-11-23

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of topical application of apricot kernel extract (AKE) in a unilateral exorbital lacrimal gland excision mouse model of experimental dry eye. Dry eye was induced by surgical removal of the lacrimal gland. Eye drops containing 0.5 or 1 mg/mL AKE were administered twice a day from day 3 to day 7 after surgery. Tear fluid volume and corneal irregularity scores were determined. In addition, we examined the immunohistochemical expression level of Muc4. The topical administration of AKE dose-dependently improved all clinical dry eye symptoms by promoting the secretion of tear fluid and mucin. Thus, the results of this study indicate that AKE may be an efficacious topical agent for treating dry eye disease.

  17. Comparison Between Bandage Contact Lenses and Pressure Patching on the Erosion Area and Pain Scale in Patients With Corneal Erosion.

    PubMed

    Triharpini, Ni Nyoman; Gede Jayanegara, I Wayan; Handayani, Ariesanti Tri; Widiana, I Gde Raka

    2015-01-01

    Corneal erosion is common in eye emergency cases. Extensive corneal erosions result in severe pain and prolonged healing time. This study aimed to compare bandage contact lenses with pressure patching in terms of reducing the size of the erosion area, pain scale in patients with corneal erosion and its complications. A randomized open-label clinical trial was conducted. Subjects with mechanical corneal erosion were selected to use either bandage contact lenses or pressure patching. All subjects received antibiotic eye drops and 0.5% tropicamide eye drops. Evaluations were done 24 and 72 hours after treatment. The size of the corneal erosion area, pain scale, and complications were assessed. A total of 32 eyes (16 eyes in each group) were studied. The change in the size of the corneal erosion area was greater in the bandage contact lens group than in the pressure patching group, although there was no significant difference. In the bandage contact lens group, 56.25% of the eyes were healed at 24 hours and 43.75% were healed at 72 hours. In the pressure patching group, 62.50% were healed at 24 hours and 12.50% were healed at 72 hours. The change in pain scale was significantly greater in the bandage contact lens group than in the pressure patching group. No complications were found in both groups. Bandage contact lenses are an effective alternative to treating mechanical corneal erosion because of their effect in reducing pain without causing any complications.

  18. Mometasone Nasal Spray

    MedlinePlus

    ... nausea, or vomiting nosebleeds headache sore throat increased menstrual pain muscle or joint pain sinus pain weakness diarrhea ... weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and ...

  19. Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep

    MedlinePlus

    ... slow, and muscles relax even further. Your body temperature drops and eye movements stop. Brain wave activity ... functions from daily fluctuations in wakefulness to body temperature, metabolism, and the release of hormones. They control ...

  20. Predicted patient demand for a new delivery system for glaucoma medicine.

    PubMed

    Ozdemir, Semra; Wong, Tina T; Allingham, Robert Rand; Finkelstein, Eric A

    2017-04-01

    Sustained-release drug delivery systems that replace the need for daily glaucoma medications will improve outcomes for those who are nonadherent and reduce the inconvenience of having to take medications on a recurring basis.The objective is to estimate uptake (i.e., demand) for a new technology that delivers sustained-release glaucoma medication and to investigate how uptake varies by product attributes, physician recommendations, peer adoption (i.e., percentage of patients seen in a clinic using the new technology), and patient characteristics.In a web-enabled discrete-choice experiment survey, glaucoma patients in the United States were asked to choose between continuing eye drop use or purchasing the new delivery system. In a cross-sectional web-enabled survey, ophthalmologists were asked their likelihood of recommending the new technology based on product and patient characteristics.Study participants were 500 glaucoma patients who were on topical administration of daily eye drops and 155 ophthalmologists who practice in the US.Main outcomes were predicted uptake for patients and likelihood of recommending a new drug delivery system for ophthalmologists. Logistic models were used to analyze the choice data.Uptake was estimated to be 18% at an annual cost of $1000 and to be 24% when the cost was $500. A physician's recommendation increased uptake by 6% to 12%, whereas an increase in peer adoption from 5% to 50% increased uptake by 3% to 7%. Patients aged ≥ 65 and those with lower income were more likely to remain on eye drops. Physicians were more likely to recommend a product if the interval between administrations is 6 months or longer and when long-term safety and efficacy data are available. They were less likely to recommend it to patients with lower income and no adherence problems.Results suggest a significant interest in an injectable solution or other sustained-release alternatives to daily eye drops. However, in this survey, patient uptake was greatly influenced by out-of-pocket cost and the interval between treatment administrations. Few physicians were willing to recommend sustained-release technology if the treatment interval was less than 3 months.

  1. Preference for a fixed combination of brinzolamide/timolol versus dorzolamide/timolol among patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

    PubMed

    Sanseau, Ana; Sampaolesi, Juan; Suzuki, Emilio Rintaro; Lopes, Joao Franca; Borel, Hector

    2013-01-01

    To assess ocular discomfort upon instillation and patient preference for brinzolamide/timolol relative to dorzolamide/timolol, in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. This was a multicenter, prospective, patient-masked, randomized, crossover study. On day 0, patients received one drop of brinzolamide/timolol in one eye and one drop of dorzolamide/timolol in the contralateral eye. On day 1, patients were randomly assigned to receive one drop of either brinzolamide/timolol or dorzolamide/timolol in both eyes; on day 2, patients received one drop of the alternate treatment in both eyes. Measures included a patient preference question on day 2 (primary) and mean ocular discomfort scale scores on days 1 and 2 (secondary). Safety assessments included adverse events, visual acuity, and slit-lamp examinations. Of 120 patients who enrolled, 115 completed the study. Of these, 112 patients instilled both medications and expressed a study medication preference on day 2. A significantly greater percentage preferred brinzolamide/timolol to dorzolamide/timolol (67.0% versus 30.4%; P < 0.001). The ocular discomfort (expressed as mean [standard deviation]) with brinzolamide/timolol was significantly lower than with dorzolamide/timolol (day 2:1.9 [2.3] versus 3.7 [2.8], respectively [P = 0.0003]; both days combined: 2.1 [2.5] versus 3.5 [2.9], respectively [P = 0.00014]). On day 1, five patients receiving brinzolamide/timolol reported five nonserious adverse events (AEs): flu (n = 1), bitter taste (n = 2), and headache (n = 2). Four events, bitter taste (two events) and headache (two events), were considered related to brinzolamide/timolol. Events were mild in intensity, except bitter taste of moderate intensity reported by one patient. No AEs were reported at day 2. All AEs resolved without additional treatment. No clinically relevant changes from baseline were observed in best-corrected visual acuity or slit-lamp examinations of ocular signs. Patients had less discomfort with brinzolamide/timolol than with dorzolamide/timolol, and more expressed a preference for brinzolamide/timolol. Both treatments were generally safe and well tolerated.

  2. Bilateral nongranulomatous uveitis with infective endocarditis.

    PubMed

    Ha, Sang Won; Shin, Jae Pil; Kim, Si Yeol; Park, Dong Ho

    2013-02-01

    A 32-year-old male who had infective endocarditis complained of photophobia and blurred vision in both eyes. Biomicroscopic examination and fundus examination revealed anterior chamber reaction, vitritis, optic disc swelling, and Roth spots. He was diagnosed with bilateral nongranulomatous uveitis and treated with topical steroid eye drops and posterior sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone. His visual symptoms were resolved within 1 week, and inflammation resolved within 4 weeks after treatment.

  3. Bilateral Nongranulomatous Uveitis with Infective Endocarditis

    PubMed Central

    Ha, Sang Won; Shin, Jae Pil; Kim, Si Yeol

    2013-01-01

    A 32-year-old male who had infective endocarditis complained of photophobia and blurred vision in both eyes. Biomicroscopic examination and fundus examination revealed anterior chamber reaction, vitritis, optic disc swelling, and Roth spots. He was diagnosed with bilateral nongranulomatous uveitis and treated with topical steroid eye drops and posterior sub-Tenon injection of triamcinolone. His visual symptoms were resolved within 1 week, and inflammation resolved within 4 weeks after treatment. PMID:23372383

  4. Investigation of rolling variables on the structure of steel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ekebuisi, Godwyn O.

    The Literature pertaining to the present research has been critically reviewed. Hot deformation of Nb-free and Nb-containing stainless and C-Mn steels has been carried out by: upset-forging, rolling, and plane strain compression testing. Also, some gridded lead alloy and some mild steel containing Type I MnS inclusions as markers have been hot rolled. Subsequently investigations have been made into: barrelling and lubrication in upsetting; distributions of temperature and strain during thermomechanical working; microstructural processes associated with hot deformation of steel and the evolution of microstructures particularly recrystallised gamma-grain size; isothermal transformation of austenite to ferrite; and the mechanisms governing hot deformation of austenite.Barrelling during the hot upsetting of a solid cylinder arises from the combined effects of interface friction and inhomogeneous distribution of temperature. A barrelling factor, B[f], has been defined to quantify the degree of barrelling and hence of inhomogeneity of deformation in an upset-forged cylinder. Employing glass as a lubricant, an optimised lubrication technique, which ensures homogeneous deformation in upsetting, has been developed and a mechanism of lubrication proposed. The through-thickness temperature distribution of a deforming material, particularly during hot rolling, is inhomogeneous. Generally, the centre-plane temperature rises due to heat generation while the surface-plane temperature drops due to the cooling effects of the tools. Strain distribution during hot rolling is also inhomogeneous. In particular, the vertical strain (epsilon[z]) is minimum at the surface-plane of the material, maximum at the mid-plane and intermediate at the centre-plane.Hot deformation of the stainless steels leads to substructure formation and, at suitably high strains, dynamic and metadynamic recrystallisation. Only a small amount of static recovery precedes static recrystallisation. Nucleation for recrystallisation occurs at preferential sites, particularly serrated boundaries and triple junctions of the deformed prior gamma-grains.The nucleated gamma-grains grow anisotropically and link up to form chains of grains at the prior gamma-grain boundaries. Recrystallisation in hot-rolled samples is inhomogeneous at micro and macro-levels. Particularly, recrystallisation is accelerated at the centre-plane and retarded at the surface plane. This effect arises mainly from non-uniform distribution of temperature and is influenced by material and hot rolling variables. Nb retards recrystallisation by the combined effects of Nb carbide/ nitride particles and Nb atoms in solid solution, the particle effect predominating at 1100°C. Recrystallisation is accelerated by a higher strain, a higher deformation temperature, a higher strain rate, a decrease in the prior ?-grain size, and the presence of deformation bands and twins. A non-isothermal multiple deformation sequence increases the incubation time due to a large temperature drop but promotes a fast recrystallisation rate at the recrystallisation temperature. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

  5. Relevance of Lipid-Based Products in the Management of Dry Eye Disease

    PubMed Central

    Amrane, Mourad; Faure, Marie-Odile; Holopainen, Juha M.; Tong, Louis

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Components of the ocular surface synergistically contribute to maintaining and protecting a smooth refractive layer to facilitate the optimal transmission of light. At the air–water interface, the tear film lipid layer (TFLL), a mixture of lipids and proteins, plays a key role in tear surface tension and is important for the physiological hydration of the ocular surface and for ocular homeostasis. Alterations in tear fluid rheology, differences in lipid composition, or downregulation of specific tear proteins are found in most types of ocular surface disease, including dry eye disease (DED). Artificial tears have long been a first line of treatment in DED and aim to replace or supplement tears. More recently, lipid-containing eye drops have been developed to more closely mimic the combination of aqueous and lipid layers of the TFLL. Over the last 2 decades, our understanding of the nature and importance of lipids in the tear film in health and disease has increased substantially. The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of our current understanding of tear film properties and review the effectiveness of lipid-based products in the treatment of DED. Liposome lid sprays, emulsion eye drops, and other lipid-containing formulations are discussed. PMID:28956698

  6. A case of scleritis associated rheumatoid arthritis accompanying an intraocular elevated lesion.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Takatoshi; Takai, Nanae; Tada, Rei; Shoda, Hiromi; Kida, Teruyo; Ikeda, Tsunehiko; Ozaki, Takurou; Makino, Shigeki

    2018-05-30

    Scleritis and/or uveitis sometimes accompanies patients who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. However, few studies have reported scleritis and/or uveitis accompanying a fundus elevated lesion, such as an intraocular tumor. In this study, we report a case of rheumatoid uveitis associated with an intraocular elevated lesion. A 66-year-old female visited another eye clinic and was diagnosed as bilateral anterior uveitis, and was prescribed steroid eye drops for treatment. She had previously been diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 30 years. Due to vitreous opacity that appeared in her right eye, we increased the instillation of steroid eye drops and the amount of oral prednisolone. Although the inflammation had improved, anterior uveitis relapsed, and an intraocular whitish elevated lesion resembling an intraocular tumor at the superior nasal retina appeared. We speculated this lesion to be a granuloma complicated with rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, we increased the amount of prednisolone administration, and the lesion began to shrink and ultimately fully disappeared. We strongly believe that our case's lesion was a subretinal granuloma related with rheumatoid arthritis, as it disappeared by increased corticosteroid treatment. Our findings show that we should consider rheumatoid arthritis in a differential diagnosis of such types of fundus elevated lesions.

  7. Long-term follow-up after submandibular gland transplantation in severe dry eyes secondary to cicatrizing conjunctivitis.

    PubMed

    Borrelli, Maria; Schröder, Christina; Dart, John K G; Collin, John Richard O; Sieg, Peter; Cree, Ian A; Matheson, Melville A; Tiffany, John M; Proctor, Gordon; van Best, Jaap; Hyde, Nick; Geerling, Gerd

    2010-12-01

    To evaluate the long-term results of autologous submandibular gland transplantation in eyes with cicatrizing conjunctivitis and to determine biomechanical and biochemical features of the resulting salivary tear film. Prospective, observational case series. Fifteen eyes with cicatrizing conjunctivitis with a viable autologous submandibular gland transplantation were compared with 10 eyes with cicatrizing conjunctivitis and a failed submandibular gland transplantation or no submandibular gland transplantation. Best-corrected visual acuity, frequency of tear substitute instillation, severity of dry eye discomfort, lid margin erythema, conjunctival hyperemia, corneal epithelial edema, tear film break-up time, Schirmer test results, and corneal fluorescein and conjunctival Rose Bengal staining were evaluated. In a subgroup central corneal thickness and sensitivity, corneal epithelial barrier function, conjunctival and lid margin flora, and conjunctival impression cytologic analysis results were evaluated. In 3 patients, preoperative and postoperative tear samples were analyzed for viscosity, surface tension, and presence of mucins. Submandibular gland autotransplantation resulted in long-term improvement of subjective, objective, and some ocular surface parameters. Salivary mucins were detectable in salivary tears after submandibular gland transplantation. The viscosity of salivary tears was more similar to normal saliva and the surface tension was intermediate between the 2 original secretions. Submandibular gland autotransplantation provides long-term relief from pain and reduces the need for frequent installation of lubricants. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. A comparison of patient pain and visual outcome using topical anesthesia versus regional anesthesia during cataract surgery.

    PubMed

    Hosoda, Yoshikatsu; Kuriyama, Shoji; Jingami, Yoko; Hattori, Hidetsugu; Hayashi, Hisako; Matsumoto, Miho

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the level of patient pain during the phacoemulsification and implantation of foldable intraocular lenses while under topical, intracameral, or sub-Tenon lidocaine. This was a retrospective study. Three hundred and one eyes subjected to cataract surgery were included in this study. All eyes underwent phacoemulsification surgery and intraocular lens implantation using topical, sub-Tenon, or intracameral anesthesia. The topical group received 4% lidocaine drops, and the intracameral group received a 0.1-0.2 cc infusion of 1% preservative-free lidocaine into the anterior chamber through the side port combined with topical drops of lidocaine. The sub-Tenon group received 2% lidocaine. Best-corrected visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell loss, and intraoperative pain level were evaluated. Pain level was assessed on a visual analog scale (range 0-2). There were no significant differences in visual outcome and corneal endothelial cell loss between the three groups. The mean pain score in the sub-Tenon group was significantly lower than that in the topical and intracameral groups (P=0.0009 and P=0.0055, respectively). In 250 eyes without high myopia (< -6D), there were no significant differences in mean pain score between the sub-Tenon and intracameral groups (P=0.1417). No additional anesthesia was required in all groups. Intracameral lidocaine provides sufficient pain suppressive effects in eyes without high myopia, while sub-Tenon anesthesia is better for cataract surgery in eyes with high myopia.

  9. A comparison of Fluoracaine and Fluorox on corneal epithelial cell desquamation after Goldmann Applanation Tonometry.

    PubMed

    Yeung, K K; Kageyama, J Y; Carnevali, T

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to quality the frequency and amount of corneal desquamation from a sodium fluorescein/proparacaine combination (Fluoracaine) as compared with sodium fluorescein/benoxinate combination ophthalmic solution (Fluorox) after Goldmann Applanation Tonometry. One drop of Fluoracaine was randomly instilled into one eye and one drop of Fluorox was instilled into the opposite eye of the same patient. Intraocular pressures (IOPs) by GAT and tear break-up times (TBUTs) were taken. Corneal stinging was compared. Corneal integrity by Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit (CCLRU) standards was evaluated at 0, 3, 7, 10, 15, and 20 minutes after instillation of the ophthalmic solutions. Sixty eyes of 30 patients were observed Forty-seven percent of the patients reported Fluorox to string more than Fluoracaine; 23% of the patients reported that Fluoracaine stings more than Fluorox; and 30% the patients reported no difference. Average TBUTs were 6.87 and 7.17 seconds with Fluoracaine and Fluorox, respectively. Fluoracaine produced micro- and macropunctate keratitis of the superficial epithelium in 31% to 45% of the cornea. Fluorox caused superficial micropunctate keratitis in about 16% to 30% of the cornea. At 20 minutes, all eyes with Fluoracaine and all eyes but one with Fluorox had corneal desquamation. Fluoracaine causes marginally less stinging--however, clinically and statistically more corneal desquamation--than Fluorox after GAT. Corneal integrity after use of Fluoracaine should be evaluated even 20 minutes after GAT procedures for corneal disruption.

  10. Effects of lodoxamide (LOD), disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) and N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate sodium salt (NAAGA) on ocular active anaphylaxis.

    PubMed

    Goldschmidt, P; Luyckx, J

    1996-04-01

    LOD, DSCG and NAAGA eye-drops were evaluated on experimentally-induced ocular active anaphylaxis in guinea pigs. Twelve animals per group were sensitized with egg albumin i.p. and challenged on the surface of the eye 14 days later. Two days before challenge, animals were treated with LOD, DSCG or NAAGA 4 times a day. Permeability indexes were calculated after intracardiac injection of Evans Blue. No effect on ocular active anaphylaxis was found with LOD nor with DSCG. NAAGA was able to significantly reduce blood-eye permeability indexes.

  11. Keratoconjunctivitis and Periorbital Edema due to Ecballium elaterium.

    PubMed

    Brouzas, Dimitrios; Oanta, Mariana; Loukianou, Eleni; Moschos, Marillita

    2012-01-01

    To report on a case of keratoconjunctivitis with periorbital edema after accidental exposure to undiluted juice of Ecballium elaterium fruit during the ripening season of this plant. Case report. Keratoconjunctivitis with Descemet's membrane folds and superficial upper corneal well-defined edematous areas were noted after an Ecballium elaterium fruit burst and its juice splashed into the patient's left eye. Prompt administration of antibiotic and steroid eye drops along with per os antihistamine therapy, resulted in quick regression of symptoms. This report demonstrates the toxic effects of this herb to the eye and also that prompt therapy is effective.

  12. Indapamide

    MedlinePlus

    Indapamide, a 'water pill,' is used to reduce the swelling and fluid retention caused by heart disease. It also is used to treat ... of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, ...

  13. Deferiprone

    MedlinePlus

    ... as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in ...

  14. Macitentan

    MedlinePlus

    ... as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in ...

  15. Busulfan

    MedlinePlus

    ... as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in ...

  16. Nevirapine

    MedlinePlus

    ... as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in ...

  17. Surgery, Hospitals, and Medications

    MedlinePlus

    ... products that are not commonly stocked in hospital pharmacies. Examples include: Salagen ® , Evoxac ® , and Restasis ® Eye drops, ... prescription and OTC medications/products in their labeled pharmacy container or packaging. This is important in case ...

  18. Lifitegrast Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... when you are finished. Do not save the liquid left in the container for your next dose.To instill the eye drops follow these steps: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Pull off one container of medication ...

  19. 1,3-Oxazole-based selective picomolar inhibitors of cytosolic human carbonic anhydrase II alleviate ocular hypertension in rabbits: Potency is supported by X-ray crystallography of two leads.

    PubMed

    Ferraroni, Marta; Lucarini, Laura; Masini, Emanuela; Korsakov, Mikhail; Scozzafava, Andrea; Supuran, Claudiu T; Krasavin, Mikhail

    2017-09-01

    Two lead 1,3-oxazole-based carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) earlier identified as selective, picomolar inhibitors of hCA II (a cytosolic target for treatment of glaucoma) have been investigated further. Firstly, they were found to be conveniently synthesized on multigram scale, which enables further development. These compounds were found to be comparable in efficacy to dorzolamide eye drops when applied in the eye drop form as well. Finally, the reasons for unusually high potency of these compounds became understood from their high-resolution X-ray crystallography structures. These data significantly expand our understanding of heterocycle-based primary sulfonamides, many of which have recently emerged from our labs - particularly, from the corneal permeability standpoint. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Platelet gel: a new therapeutic tool with great potential

    PubMed Central

    Piccin, Andrea; Di Pierro, Angela M.; Canzian, Lucia; Primerano, Marco; Corvetta, Daisy; Negri, Giovanni; Mazzoleni, Guido; Gastl, Günther; Steurer, Michael; Gentilini, Ivo; Eisendle, Klaus; Fontanella, Fabrizio

    2017-01-01

    Chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, represent a serious clinical problem for patients and clinicians. Management of these wounds has a strong economic impact worldwide. Complications resulting from injuries are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. Chronic wounds lead to infections, painful dressings and prolonged hospitalisation. This results in poor patient Quality of Life and in high healthcare costs. Platelet concentrates (PC) are defined as autologous or allogeneic platelet derivatives with a platelet concentration higher than baseline. PC are widely used in different areas of Regenerative Medicine in order to enhance wound healing processes; they include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet gel (PG), platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), serum eye drops (E-S), and PRP eye drops (E-PRP). This review highlights the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet gel (PG) preparation for clinical use. PMID:27483482

  1. Corneal crystalline deposits associated with topically applied gatifloxacin.

    PubMed

    Elia, Maxwell; Khodadadeh, Sarah; Chow, Jessica

    2014-06-01

    To report a case of corneal crystalline deposits from the use of gatifloxacin 0.5% topical antibiotic after combined cataract extraction and trabeculotomy ab interno surgery. A 59-year-old woman presented after combined cataract extraction and trabeculotomy ab interno with crystalline deposits in the anterior corneal stroma. Clinical examination and slit-lamp photography were performed. The slit-lamp examination showed inferior white crystal deposition in the anterior stroma with overlying punctate epithelial erosions 4 weeks postoperatively. The eye was asymptomatic, but the deposition was cosmetically noticeable to the patient. Serial slit-lamp photography demonstrated resolution of the crystalline deposits 30 days after the discontinuation of eye drops. The authors present a rare case of stromal crystallization from topical gatifloxacin treatment. Complete resolution of corneal deposits was seen 30 days after the discontinuation of the drops without sequelae.

  2. Motion of an elastic capsule in a square microfluidic channel.

    PubMed

    Kuriakose, S; Dimitrakopoulos, P

    2011-07-01

    In the present study we investigate computationally the steady-state motion of an elastic capsule along the centerline of a square microfluidic channel and compare it with that in a cylindrical tube. In particular, we consider a slightly over-inflated elastic capsule made of a strain-hardening membrane with comparable shearing and area-dilatation resistance. Under the conditions studied in this paper (i.e., small, moderate, and large capsules at low and moderate flow rates), the capsule motion in a square channel is similar to and thus governed by the same scaling laws with the capsule motion in a cylindrical tube, even though in the channel the cross section in the upstream portion of large capsules is nonaxisymmetric (i.e., square-like with rounded corners). When the hydrodynamic forces on the membrane increase, the capsule develops a pointed downstream edge and a flattened rear (possibly with a negative curvature) so that the restoring tension forces are increased as also happens with droplets. Membrane tensions increase significantly with the capsule size while the area near the downstream tip is the most probable to rupture when a capsule flows in a microchannel. Because the membrane tensions increase with the interfacial deformation, a suitable Landau-Levich-Derjaguin-Bretherton analysis reveals that the lubrication film thickness h for large capsules depends on both the capillary number Ca and the capsule size a; our computations determine the latter dependence to be (in dimensionless form) h ~ a(-2) for the large capsules studied in this work. For small and moderate capsule sizes a, the capsule velocity Ux and additional pressure drop ΔP+ are governed by the same scaling laws as for high-viscosity droplets. The velocity and additional pressure drop of large thick capsules also follow the dynamics of high-viscosity droplets, and are affected by the lubrication film thickness. The motion of our large thick capsules is characterized by a Ux-U ~ h ~ a(-2) approach to the undisturbed average duct velocity and an additional pressure drop ΔP+ ~a(3)/h ~ a(5). By combining basic physical principles and geometric properties, we develop a theoretical analysis that explains the power laws we found for large capsules.

  3. Comparison of topical dorzolamide and ketorolac treatment for cystoid macular edema in retinitis pigmentosa and Usher's syndrome.

    PubMed

    Lemos Reis, Ricardo Filipe; Moreira-Gonçalves, Nuno; Estrela Silva, Sérgio E; Brandão, Elisete M; Falcão-Reis, Fernando M

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the topical effect of dorzolamide versus ketorolac on retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Usher's syndrome (US) macular edema. Prospective, randomized and interventional study. A total of 28 eyes of 18 patients were included. Five eyes had US, 23 had RP. Fifteen eyes were allocated to ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% (4 drops daily regimen) and 13 eyes to dorzolamide hydrochloride 2% (3 drops daily regimen) treatment groups. Snellen's best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal thickness (FT) and foveal zone thickness (FZT) measured by Stratus® optical coherence tomography (OCT) were evaluated at baseline, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Patients assigned to ketorolac had a baseline BCVA of 0.37 ± 0.17 logMAR which improved at the end of 1 year to 0.28 ± 0.16 (p = 0.02). Three eyes (20%) of 2 patients improved by 7 letters or more. Mean FT and FZT did not change significantly during the study follow-up. After 1 year of treatment, 4 eyes (27%) of 3 patients showed an improvement of at least 16% of FT and 11% of FZT. Patients assigned to dorzolamide had a baseline BCVA of 0.48 ± 0.34 logMAR which improved in the first 6 months (0.40 ± 0.30; p = 0.01), with a decrease at 1 year (0.42 ± 0.27; p = 0.20). Seven eyes (54%) of 5 patients had an improvement of 7 letters or more. Mean FT and FZT did not change significantly either. After 1 year of treatment, 3 eyes (23%) of 2 patients showed an improvement of at least 16% on FT and 11% on FZT. RESULTS suggest that dorzolamide and ketorolac might improve visual acuity and therefore be of interest in selected cases. No relationship between retinal thickness fluctuation and visual acuity was found. Sample size was a limitation to the study. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Dominant Drop mutants are gain-of-function alleles of the muscle segment homeobox gene (msh) whose overexpression leads to the arrest of eye development.

    PubMed

    Mozer, B A

    2001-05-15

    Dominant Drop (Dr) mutations are nearly eyeless and have additional recessive phenotypes including lethality and patterning defects in eye and sensory bristles due to cis-regulatory lesions in the cell cycle regulator string (stg). Genetic analysis demonstrates that the dominant small eye phenotype is the result of separate gain-of-function mutations in the closely linked muscle segment homeobox (msh) gene, encoding a homeodomain transcription factor required for patterning of muscle and nervous system. Reversion of the Dr(Mio) allele was coincident with the generation of lethal loss-of-function mutations in msh in cis, suggesting that the dominant eye phenotype is the result of ectopic expression. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that two dominant Dr alleles contain lesions upstream of the msh transcription start site. In the Dr(Mio) mutant, a 3S18 retrotransposon insertion is the target of second-site mutations (P-element insertions or deletions) which suppress the dominant eye phenotype following reversion. The pattern of 3S18 expression and the absence of msh in eye imaginal discs suggest that transcriptional activation of the msh promoter accounts for ectopic expression. Dr dominant mutations arrest eye development by blocking the progression of the morphogenetic furrow leading to photoreceptor cell loss via apoptosis. Gal4-mediated ubiquitous expression of msh in third-instar larvae was sufficient to arrest the morphogenetic furrow in the eye imaginal disc and resulted in lethality prior to eclosion. Dominant mutations in the human msx2 gene, one of the vertebrate homologs of msh, are associated with craniosynostosis, a disease affecting cranial development. The Dr mutations are the first example of gain-of-function mutations in the msh/msx gene family identified in a genetically tractible model organism and may serve as a useful tool to identify additional genes that regulate this class of homeodomain proteins. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  5. A new safety concern for glaucoma treatment demonstrated by mass spectrometry imaging of benzalkonium chloride distribution in the eye, an experimental study in rabbits.

    PubMed

    Brignole-Baudouin, Françoise; Desbenoit, Nicolas; Hamm, Gregory; Liang, Hong; Both, Jean-Pierre; Brunelle, Alain; Fournier, Isabelle; Guerineau, Vincent; Legouffe, Raphael; Stauber, Jonathan; Touboul, David; Wisztorski, Maxence; Salzet, Michel; Laprevote, Olivier; Baudouin, Christophe

    2012-01-01

    We investigated in a rabbit model, the eye distribution of topically instilled benzalkonium_(BAK) chloride a commonly used preservative in eye drops using mass spectrometry imaging. Three groups of three New Zealand rabbits each were used: a control one without instillation, one receiving 0.01%BAK twice a day for 5 months and one with 0.2%BAK one drop a day for 1 month. After sacrifice, eyes were embedded and frozen in tragacanth gum. Serial cryosections were alternately deposited on glass slides for histological (hematoxylin-eosin staining) and immunohistological controls (CD45, RLA-DR and vimentin for inflammatory cell infiltration as well as vimentin for Müller glial cell activation) and ITO or stainless steel plates for MSI experiments using Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight. The MSI results were confirmed by a round-robin study on several adjacent sections conducted in two different laboratories using different sample preparation methods, mass spectrometers and data analysis softwares. BAK was shown to penetrate healthy eyes even after a short duration and was not only detected on the ocular surface structures, but also in deeper tissues, especially in sensitive areas involved in glaucoma pathophysiology, such as the trabecular meshwork and the optic nerve areas, as confirmed by images with histological stainings. CD45-, RLA-DR- and vimentin-positive cells increased in treated eyes. Vimentin was found only in the inner layer of retina in normal eyes and increased in all retinal layers in treated eyes, confirming an activation response to a cell stress. This ocular toxicological study confirms the presence of BAK preservative in ocular surface structures as well as in deeper structures involved in glaucoma disease. The inflammatory cell infiltration and Müller glial cell activation confirmed the deleterious effect of BAK. Although these results were obtained in animals, they highlight the importance of the safety-first principle for the treatment of glaucoma patients.

  6. A New Safety Concern for Glaucoma Treatment Demonstrated by Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Benzalkonium Chloride Distribution in the Eye, an Experimental Study in Rabbits

    PubMed Central

    Brignole-Baudouin, Françoise; Desbenoit, Nicolas; Hamm, Gregory; Liang, Hong; Both, Jean-Pierre; Brunelle, Alain; Fournier, Isabelle; Guerineau, Vincent; Legouffe, Raphael; Stauber, Jonathan; Touboul, David; Wisztorski, Maxence; Salzet, Michel; Laprevote, Olivier; Baudouin, Christophe

    2012-01-01

    We investigated in a rabbit model, the eye distribution of topically instilled benzalkonium_(BAK) chloride a commonly used preservative in eye drops using mass spectrometry imaging. Three groups of three New Zealand rabbits each were used: a control one without instillation, one receiving 0.01%BAK twice a day for 5 months and one with 0.2%BAK one drop a day for 1 month. After sacrifice, eyes were embedded and frozen in tragacanth gum. Serial cryosections were alternately deposited on glass slides for histological (hematoxylin-eosin staining) and immunohistological controls (CD45, RLA-DR and vimentin for inflammatory cell infiltration as well as vimentin for Müller glial cell activation) and ITO or stainless steel plates for MSI experiments using Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight. The MSI results were confirmed by a round-robin study on several adjacent sections conducted in two different laboratories using different sample preparation methods, mass spectrometers and data analysis softwares. BAK was shown to penetrate healthy eyes even after a short duration and was not only detected on the ocular surface structures, but also in deeper tissues, especially in sensitive areas involved in glaucoma pathophysiology, such as the trabecular meshwork and the optic nerve areas, as confirmed by images with histological stainings. CD45-, RLA-DR- and vimentin-positive cells increased in treated eyes. Vimentin was found only in the inner layer of retina in normal eyes and increased in all retinal layers in treated eyes, confirming an activation response to a cell stress. This ocular toxicological study confirms the presence of BAK preservative in ocular surface structures as well as in deeper structures involved in glaucoma disease. The inflammatory cell infiltration and Müller glial cell activation confirmed the deleterious effect of BAK. Although these results were obtained in animals, they highlight the importance of the safety-first principle for the treatment of glaucoma patients. PMID:23209668

  7. The Effect of a Yield Stress on the Drainage of the Thin Film Between Two Colliding Newtonian Drops

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goel, Sachin; Ramachandran, Arun

    2016-11-01

    Coalescence of drops immersed in fluids possessing a yield stress has been of interest to many industries such as the oil extraction, cosmetics and food industries. Unfortunately, a theoretical understanding of the drainage of the thin film of Bingham fluid (a model yield stress fluid) that develops between two drops undergoing a collision is still lacking, with the exception of two prior studies that make ad-hoc assumptions about the film shape. In this work, we examine this problem via a combination of scaling analysis and numerical simulations based on the lubrication analysis. There are four key features of the film drainage process of Bingham fluids. First, the introduction of a yield stress in the suspending fluid retards the drainage process relative to Newtonian fluid of the same viscosity. Second, the drainage time shows a minimum with respect to the capillary number. Third, the effect of yield stress on the drainage process becomes more pronounced at higher capillary numbers and lower Hamaker constant. Lastly, below a critical height, drainage can be arrested completely due to the yield stress. This critical height scales as τ02R3 τ02R3 γ2 γ2 , where τ0 is the yield stress, R is the drop radius and γ is the interfacial tension, and is, surprisingly, independent of the force colliding the drops. This and other distinguishing characteristics of the drainage process will be elucidated in the presentation.

  8. Timolol Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... after you instill timolol eye drops or gel-forming solution.tell your doctor if you have or have ever had thyroid, heart, or lung disease; congestive heart failure; myasthenia gravis; or diabetes.tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan ...

  9. Enoxaparin Injection

    MedlinePlus

    ... as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in ...

  10. Eye Drop Tips

    MedlinePlus

    ... Size Small Text Medium Text Large Text Contrast Dark on Light Light on Dark Donate Search Menu Donate What is Glaucoma? Care ... Low Vision Resources Medication Guide Resources on the Web » See All Articles Where the Money Goes Have ...

  11. Transcription, Translation, and Function of Lubricin, a Boundary Lubricant, at the Ocular Surface

    PubMed Central

    Schmidt, Tannin A.; Sullivan, David A.; Knop, Erich; Richards, Stephen M.; Knop, Nadja; Liu, Shaohui; Sahin, Afsun; Darabad, Raheleh Rahimi; Morrison, Sheila; Kam, Wendy R.; Sullivan, Benjamin D.

    2013-01-01

    Importance Lubricin may be an important barrier to the development of corneal and conjunctival epitheliopathies that may occur in dry eye disease and contact lens wear. Objective To test the hypotheses that lubricin (ie, proteoglycan 4 [PRG4]), a boundary lubricant, is produced by ocular surface epithelia and acts to protect the cornea and conjunctiva against significant shear forces generated during an eyelid blink and that lubricin deficiency increases shear stress on the ocular surface and promotes corneal damage. Design, Setting, and Participants Human, porcine, and mouse tissues and cells were processed for molecular biological, immunohistochemical, and tribological studies, and wild-type and PRG4 knockout mice were evaluated for corneal damage. Results Our findings demonstrate that lubricin is transcribed and translated by corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells. Lubricin messenger RNA is also present in lacrimal and meibomian glands, as well as in a number of other tissues. Absence of lubricin in PRG4 knockout mice is associated with a significant increase in corneal fluorescein staining. Our studies also show that lubricin functions as an effective friction-lowering boundary lubricant at the human cornea-eyelid interface. This effect is specific and cannot be duplicated by the use of hyaluronate or bovine serum albumin solutions. Conclusions and Relevance Our results show that lubricin is transcribed, translated, and expressed by ocular surface epithelia. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that lubricin presence significantly reduces friction between the cornea and conjunctiva and that lubricin deficiency may play a role in promoting corneal damage. PMID:23599181

  12. Transcription, translation, and function of lubricin, a boundary lubricant, at the ocular surface.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Tannin A; Sullivan, David A; Knop, Erich; Richards, Stephen M; Knop, Nadja; Liu, Shaohui; Sahin, Afsun; Darabad, Raheleh Rahimi; Morrison, Sheila; Kam, Wendy R; Sullivan, Benjamin D

    2013-06-01

    Lubricin may be an important barrier to the development of corneal and conjunctival epitheliopathies that may occur in dry eye disease and contact lens wear. To test the hypotheses that lubricin (ie, proteoglycan 4 [PRG4 ]), a boundary lubricant, is produced by ocular surface epithelia and acts to protect the cornea and conjunctiva against significant shear forces generated during an eyelid blink and that lubricin deficiency increases shear stress on the ocular surface and promotes corneal damage. Human, porcine, and mouse tissues and cells were processed for molecular biological, immunohistochemical, and tribological studies, and wild-type and PRG4 knockout mice were evaluated for corneal damage. Our findings demonstrate that lubricin is transcribed and translated by corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells. Lubricin messenger RNA is also present in lacrimal and meibomian glands, as well as in a number of other tissues. Absence of lubricin in PRG4 knockout mice is associated with a significant increase in corneal fluorescein staining. Our studies also show that lubricin functions as an effective friction-lowering boundary lubricant at the human cornea-eyelid interface. This effect is specific and cannot be duplicated by the use of hyaluronate or bovine serum albumin solutions. Our results show that lubricin is transcribed, translated, and expressed by ocular surface epithelia. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that lubricin presence significantly reduces friction between the cornea and conjunctiva and that lubricin deficiency may play a role in promoting corneal damage.

  13. Globe stability during simulated vitrectomy with valved and non-valved trocar cannulas

    PubMed Central

    Abulon, Dina Joy; Charles, Martin; Charles, Daniel E

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To compare the effects of valved and non-valved cannulas on intraocular pressure (IOP), fluid leakage, and vitreous incarceration during simulated vitrectomy. Methods Three-port pars plana incisions were generated in six rubber eyes using 23-, 25-, and 27-gauge valved and non-valved trocar cannulas. The models were filled with air and IOP was measured. Similar procedures were followed for 36 acrylic eyes filled with saline solution. Vitreous incarceration was analyzed in eleven rabbit and twelve porcine cadaver eyes. Results In the air-filled model, IOP loss was 89%–94% when two non-valved cannulas were unoccupied versus 1%–5% when two valved cannulas were unoccupied. In the fluid-filled model, with non-valved cannulas, IOP dropped while fluid leaked from the open ports. With two open ports, the IOP dropped to 20%–30% of set infusion pressure, regardless of infusion pressure and IOP compensation. The IOP was maintained in valved cannulas when one or two ports were left open, regardless of IOP compensation settings. There was no or minimal fluid leakage through open ports at any infusion pressure. Direct microscopic analysis of rabbit eyes showed that vitreous incarceration was significantly greater with 23-gauge non-valved than valved cannulas (P<0.005), and endoscopy of porcine eyes showed that vitreous incarceration was significantly greater with 23-gauge (P<0.05) and 27-gauge (P<0.05) non-valved cannulas. External observation of rabbit eyes showed vitreous prolapse through non-valved, but not valved, cannulas. Conclusion Valved cannulas surpassed non-valved cannulas in maintaining IOP, preventing fluid leakage, and reducing vitreous incarceration during simulated vitrectomy. PMID:26445520

  14. Patients undergoing long-term treatment with antihypertensive eye drops responded positively with respect to their ocular surface disorder to oral supplementation with antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

    PubMed

    Galbis-Estrada, Carmen; Pinazo-Durán, Maria D; Cantú-Dibildox, Jorge; Marco-Ramírez, Carla; Díaz-Llópis, Manuel; Benítez-del-Castillo, Javier

    2013-01-01

    Glaucoma and dry eye disorders (DEDs) are frequent comorbidities. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids have been extensively studied in relation to eye diseases. Our objective was to determine the effects of oral supplementation with a combined formulation of antioxidants and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids on expression of cytokines and chemokines in tears from patients with DEDs or primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Participants (n = 97) were distributed into three groups: (1) individuals with nonsevere DEDs (DEDG), (2) individuals with nonadvanced POAG (POAGG), and (3) healthy controls. These groups were randomized into two subgroups: one received a daily antioxidant and essential polyunsaturated fatty acid supplement (two pills) for 3 months (+S), and the other did not (-NS). Participants were interviewed and ophthalmologically examined. Concentrations of specific cytokines and chemokines in reflex tears were determined by multiplexed particle-based flow cytometry. The data were analyzed statistically (SPSS version 15.0). Comparison of the results from the DEDG and POAGG patients showed significant differences in tear expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (P = 0.008), tumor necrosis factor α (P = 0.005), vascular endothelial growth factor (P = 0.038), interleukin-4 (P = 0.030), and interleukin-6 (P = 0.044). The main signs and symptoms of dry eyes such as dryness, burning, photophobia, eye heaviness, and blurred vision, as well as positive changes in eyelashes, hair, nails and skin, were significantly improved in DEDG +S and POAGG +S patients relative to unsupplemented patients. Inflammation biomarkers were differentially expressed in glaucomatous tears, but the differences changed upon antioxidant/essential polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation. Chronic instillation of antihypertensive eye drops must be considered for integrating protocols to glaucoma standards of care.

  15. Amelioration of ultraviolet-induced photokeratitis in mice treated with astaxanthin eye drops.

    PubMed

    Lennikov, Anton; Kitaichi, Nobuyoshi; Fukase, Risa; Murata, Miyuki; Noda, Kousuke; Ando, Ryo; Ohguchi, Takeshi; Kawakita, Tetsuya; Ohno, Shigeaki; Ishida, Susumu

    2012-01-01

    Ultraviolet (UV) acts as low-dose ionizing radiation. Acute UVB exposure causes photokeratitis and induces apoptosis in corneal cells. Astaxanthin (AST) is a carotenoid, present in seafood, that has potential clinical applications due to its high antioxidant activity. In the present study, we examined whether topical administration of AST has preventive and therapeutic effects on UV-photokeratitis in mice. C57BL/6 mice were administered with AST diluted in polyethylene glycol (PEG) in instillation form (15 μl) to the right eye. Left eyes were given vehicle alone as controls. Immediately after the instillation, the mice, under anesthesia, were irradiated with UVB at a dose of 400 mJ/cm². Eyeballs were collected 24 h after irradiation and stained with H&E and TUNEL. In an in vitro study, mouse corneal epithelial (TKE2) cells were cultured with AST before UV exposure to quantify the UV-derived cytotoxicity. UVB exposure induced cell death and thinning of the corneal epithelium. However, the epithelium was morphologically well preserved after irradiation in AST-treated corneas. Irradiated corneal epithelium was significantly thicker in eyes treated with AST eye drops, compared to those treated with vehicles (p<0.01), in a doses dependent manner. Significantly fewer apoptotic cells were observed in AST-treated eyes than controls after irradiation (p<0.01). AST also reduced oxidative stress in irradiated corneas. The in vitro study showed less cytotoxicity of TKE2 cells in AST-treated cultures after UVB-irradiation (p<0.01). The cytoprotective effect increased with the dose of AST. Topical AST administration may be a candidate treatment to limit the damages by UV irradiation with wide clinical applications.

  16. Comparison of Topical Application of TSG-6, Cyclosporine, and Prednisolone for Treating Dry Eye.

    PubMed

    Kim, Yu Jeong; Ryu, Jin Suk; Park, Se Yeon; Lee, Hyun Ju; Ko, Jung Hwa; Kim, Mee Kum; Wee, Won Ryang; Oh, Joo Youn

    2016-04-01

    To compare the therapeutic effects of topical tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated gene/protein-6 (TSG-6) with those of cyclosporine and prednisolone eye drops in NOD.B10.H2 mice, a model for inflammation-mediated dry eye. The 12-week-old NOD.B10.H2 mice were topically administered recombinant TSG-6 (0.1%) 4 times a day, 0.05% cyclosporine (Restasis) twice a day, or 1% prednisolone (Pred Forte) 4 times a day for 1 week. Aqueous tear production was measured by phenol red thread test, and corneal epithelial damage was observed with lissamine green and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining. Conjunctival goblet cell number was evaluated with periodic acid-Schiff staining. The levels of inflammatory cytokines were analyzed in the ocular surface (cornea and conjunctiva) and intraorbital gland. The dose-dependent effects of topical TSG-6 (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1%) were tested. Tear production and goblet cell density were significantly increased in all groups receiving TSG-6, cyclosporine, and prednisolone. Corneal epithelial staining was markedly reduced by TSG-6 and cyclosporine but not by prednisolone. In prednisolone-treated eyes, corneal epithelial thickness was decreased, and apoptosis of corneal epithelial cells was increased. The levels of interferon gamma and TNF-α in the ocular surface and intraorbital gland were significantly repressed by TSG-6 and cyclosporine, and prednisolone treatment significantly reduced the level of interferon gamma. The effects of TSG-6 on the ocular surface and tear production were dose dependent. Topical TSG-6 was as effective in inflammation-mediated dry eye as cyclosporine eye drops. Topical prednisolone suppressed inflammation but induced apoptosis in the corneal epithelium.

  17. Comparison of systemic absorption between ofloxacin ophthalmic in situ gels and ofloxacin conventional ophthalmic solutions administration to rabbit eyes by HPLC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Li, Jiawei; Zhao, Hainan; Okeke, Chukwunweike Ikechukwu; Li, Lin; Liu, Zhidong; Yin, Zhongpeng; Zhuang, Pengwei; Sun, Jingtong; Wu, Tao; Wang, Meng; Li, Nan; Pi, Jiaxin; Zhang, Qian; Zhang, Rui; Ma, Li; Pang, Xiaochen; Liu, Zhanbiao; Zhang, Li; Fan, Lili

    2013-06-25

    In recent years, many pharmaceutical scientists have focused on developing the in situ gel-forming systems to overcome the poor bioavailability and therapeutic response exhibited by conventional ophthalmic solutions due to rapid pre-corneal elimination of the drug. The present work was to compare the systemic absorptions of ophthalmic ofloxacin in situ gel with the conventional ofloxacin eye drop after topical instillation to rabbit eyes by HPLC-MS/MS method and also determine the relative contribution of the nasal and the conjunctival mucosae to systemic ofloxacin absorption following topical instillation. The systemic AUC, Cmax, Tmax and Ke for ophthalmic in situ gel and ophthalmic solution after ocular instillation were 202.63±118.85 and 202.25±57.74 ng mL(-1) h, 54.22±28.31 and 48.4±25.97 ng mL(-1), 1.08±0.20 and 1.25±0.88 h, 0.0576±0.0207 and 0.0388±0.0248, respectively. And the values for the ratios of the AUC of anterior chamber of rabbit eye to blood plasma, AUCac/AUCpl, for ofloxacin conventional eye drop and in situ gel were 0.25 and 0.52, respectively. Statistic results showed that there was no significant difference in systemic absorption between the test groups and the reference groups (P>0.05) as both formulations have an AUCsa/AUCpl of 0.35. Therefore, the ophthalmic in situ gel may not decrease the drugs systemic absorption when administered in an equivalent dose as ophthalmic solutions into the rabbit eyes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Ocular delivery of macromolecules

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Yoo-Chun; Chiang, Bryce; Wu, Xianggen; Prausnitz, Mark R.

    2014-01-01

    Biopharmaceuticals are making increasing impact on medicine, including treatment of indications in the eye. Macromolecular drugs are typically given by physician-administered invasive delivery methods, because non--invasive ocular delivery methods, such as eye drops, and systemic delivery, have low bioavailability and/or poor ocular targeting. There is a need to improve delivery of biopharmaceuticals to enable less-invasive delivery routes, less-frequent dosing through controlled-release drug delivery and improved drug targeting within the eye to increase efficacy and reduce side effects. This review discusses the barriers to drug delivery via various ophthalmic routes of administration in the context of macromolecule delivery and discusses efforts to develop controlled-release systems for delivery of biopharmaceuticals to the eye. The growing number of macromolecular therapies in the eye needs improved drug delivery methods that increase drug efficacy, safety and patient compliance. PMID:24998941

  19. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Dry Eye Treatment by Institutional Chinese Physicians in Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Lan, Wanwen; Lee, Sze Yee; Lee, Man Xin; Tong, Louis

    2012-01-01

    Dry eye is a common health problem worldwide, causing significant discomfort and inconvenience to sufferers. The conventional treatment of dry eye via topical administration of eye drops is deemed palliative and unsatisfactory to many. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown some promise in dry eye treatment; however, the extent of its use and acceptance is uncertain. We evaluated the knowledge, attitude, and practice of institutional TCM practitioners in the treatment of dry eye in Singapore. A questionnaire was generated to address the study aims and sent to TCM practitioners listed in the Singapore TCM practitioners' board database. About three quarters of respondents thought that dry eye was not severe enough to be a public health burden but most thought that TCM was effective in the treatment of dry eye. Acupuncture and herbal medicine were most commonly used TCM modalities in dry eye treatment, and a single TCM treatment session would be charged S$20–50 by the practitioner. The majority of surveyed institutional TCM practitioners in Singapore believe that TCM is relevant in dry eye treatment. Public awareness should be raised regarding the availability of TCM as alternative medicine for dry eye. PMID:23213306

  20. Stability of a jet in confined pressure-driven biphasic flows at low reynolds numbers.

    PubMed

    Guillot, Pierre; Colin, Annie; Utada, Andrew S; Ajdari, Armand

    2007-09-07

    Motivated by its importance for microfluidic applications, we study the stability of jets formed by pressure-driven concentric biphasic flows in cylindrical capillaries. The specificity of this variant of the classical Rayleigh-Plateau instability is the role of the geometry which imposes confinement and Poiseuille flow profiles. We experimentally evidence a transition between situations where the flow takes the form of a jet and regimes where drops are produced. We describe this as the transition from convective to absolute instability, within a simple linear analysis using lubrication theory for flows at low Reynolds number, and reach remarkable agreement with the data.

  1. Comparative study of 0.1% hyaluronic acid versus 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose in patients with dry eye associated with moderate keratitis or keratoconjunctivitis.

    PubMed

    Groß, Dorothea; Childs, Marc; Piaton, Jean-Marie

    2018-01-01

    Eye drops containing 0.1% hyaluronic acid (HA) and 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) applied one drop three times a day per affected eye were compared in patients with moderate keratitis or keratoconjunctivitis related to dry eye disease (DED). This was a prospective, randomized, multicenter, Phase IIIB noninferiority study, with a single-masked phase in parallel mode with two groups over 84 days. The primary efficacy outcome was change in ocular surface (OS) staining between day 0 (D0) and day 35 (D35). The conjunctiva and cornea were stained with lissamine green and fluorescein. Secondary efficacy measures at day 84 (D84) were OS-staining score (SS), ocular comfort index, tear-film breakup time and how patients and investigators rated treatment efficacy and safety. At D35, 0.1% HA achieved a 46.6% reduction in OS-SS (-2.03±1.35 points, n=39 patients) and 0.5% CMC treatment, followed by a 34.9% reduction (-1.61±1.69 points, n=38 patients) compared to D0. At D84, the SS difference to D0 improved by -2.58±1.45 points (-59.2%) for 0.1% HA and -2.59±2.27 points (-54.4%) for 0.5% CMC. Ocular comfort-index scores improved, with significantly lower (better) values for stinging and itching on D84 for 0.1% HA. Patients assessed treatment with 0.1% HA as significantly better than 0.5% CMC (Likert scale, 4.82 vs 3.97; P =0.018). Four adverse events (AEs) occurred in four of 41 patients (9.8%) treated with 0.1% HA, and three AEs in two of 39 patients (5.1%) treated with 0.5% CMC. No serious AEs were noted. DED signs and symptoms of DED significantly improved with both eye drops. OS staining improved >54% at D84. Treatment was well tolerated, with only minor AEs <10%. 0.1% HA and 0.5% CMC were equally safe and effective. Significant and nonsignificant results were constantly in favor of 0.1% HA.

  2. Evaluation of efficacy of topical povidone-iodine and different types of fluoroquinolones in the sterilization of bacterial flora on the conjunctiva.

    PubMed

    Coskun, Mehmet; Altintas, Ayse Gul Kocak; Anayol, Mustafa Alpaslan; Raza, Sabri; Celikbilek, Nevreste; Simsek, Saban

    2011-12-01

    To compare the sterilization effectivity of topical povidone-iodine, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin on the conjunctival bacterial flora. One hundred sixty-four eyes of 164 patients scheduled for cataract surgery were prospectively analyzed. Conjunctival cultures were obtained 1 day before the surgery without any topical application in all patients. Conjunctival flora was examined in 53 eyes of 53 patients (Group I) 15 min after 5% topical povidone-iodine application on the day of the surgery. Fifty-four eyes of 54 patients (Group II) received 1 drop 0.3% ciprofloxacin at 12 pm 1 day before the operation and 4 drops at 15 min intervals on the day of the surgery. Another 57 eyes of 57 patients (Group III) received 0.3% ofloxacin in the same application mode as ciprofloxacin. Conjunctival cultures were taken in all patients 15 min after last drop of topical antibiotic application. Only coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated from 75.4% in Group I, 72.2% in Group II, and 59.6% in Group III on pretreatment culture. Different types of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Micrococcus spp. were identified in other patients. Pretreatment conjunctival flora of Group I and Group II were similar (P>0.05), but it was significantly different in Group III (P<0.05). After topical application no bacterial growth was observed in 77.3% in Group I, 92.5% in Group II, and 66.6% in Group III. The difference between Group I and III was insignificant (P>0.05), but bacterial eradication effectiveness was significantly higher in Group II than that of other groups (P<0.05). Post-treatment cultures showed same bacterial flora as pretreatment cultures in 14.9% in Group I, 1.8% in Group II, and 19.2% in Group III. The difference between Group I and Group III was statistically insignificant (P>0.05) and the difference between Group II and other groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Four eyes (7.5%) showed different types of bacterial growth from pretreatment flora in Group I, which were seen in 3 eyes (5.5%) in Group II and in 8 eyes (14%) in Group III. The differences between groups were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). Ciprofloxacin seems to be more effective in conjunctival sterilization. In consideration with high variety of bacterial flora in pretreatment period in ofloxacin group, ofloxacin seems to be superior to povidone-iodine on the reduction of bacterial flora on the conjunctiva.

  3. Drug delivery to the ocular posterior segment using lipid emulsion via eye drop administration: effect of emulsion formulations and surface modification.

    PubMed

    Ying, Lin; Tahara, Kohei; Takeuchi, Hirofumi

    2013-09-10

    This work explored submicron-sized lipid emulsion as potential carriers for intraocular drug delivery to the posterior segment via eye drops. The effects of physicochemical properties of lipid emulsion on drug delivery were evaluated in vivo using mice. Different formulations of submicron-sized lipid emulsions were prepared using a high pressure homogenization system. Using coumairn-6 as a model drug and fluorescent marker, fluorescence could be observed in the retina after administration of the lipid emulsion. The fluorescence intensity observed after administration of medium chain triglycerides containing the same amount of coumarin-6 was much lower than that observed after administration of lipid emulsions. The inner oil property and phospholipid emulsifier did not affect the drug delivery efficiency to the retina. However, compared with unmodified emulsions, the fluorescence intensity in the retina increased by surface modification using a positive charge inducer and the functional polymers chitosan (CS) and poloxamer 407 (P407). CS-modified lipid emulsions could be electrostatically interacted with the eye surface. By its adhesive property, poloxamer 407, a surface modifier, possibly increased the lipid emulsion retention time on the eye surface. In conclusion, we suggested that surface-modified lipid emulsions could be promising vehicles of hydrophobic drug delivery to the ocular posterior segment. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Analgesic Effect of Topical Sodium Diclofenac before Retinal Photocoagulation for Diabetic Retinopathy: A Randomized Double-masked Placebo-controlled Intraindividual Crossover Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Ramezani, Alireza; Entezari, Morteza; Shahbazi, Mohammad Mehdi; Semnani, Yosef; Nikkhah, Homayoun; Yaseri, Mehdi

    2017-04-01

    To evaluate the analgesic effect of topical sodium diclofenac 0.1% before retinal laser photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic patients who were candidates for peripheral laser photocoagulation were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled, intraindividual, two-period, and crossover clinical trial. At the first session and based on randomization, one eye received topical sodium diclofenac 0.1% and the other eye received an artificial tear drop (as placebo) three times before laser treatment. At the second session, eyes were given the alternate drug. Patients scored their pain using visual analogue scale (max, 10 cm) at both sessions. Patients and the surgeon were blinded to the drops given. Difference of pain level was the main outcome measure. A total of 200 eyes of 100 patients were enrolled. Both treatments were matched regarding the applied laser. Pain sensation based on visual analogue scale was 5.6 ± 3.0 in the treated group and 5.5 ± 3.0 in the control group. The calculated treatment effect was 0.15 (95% confidence interval, -0.27 to 0.58; p = 0.486). The estimated period effect was 0.24 ( p = 0.530) and the carryover effect was not significant ( p = 0.283). Pretreatment with topical sodium diclofenac 0.1% does not have any analgesic effect during peripheral retinal laser photocoagulation in diabetic patients.

  5. A novel rare sugar inhibitor of murine herpes simplex keratitis

    PubMed Central

    Muniruzzaman, Syed; McIntosh, Megan; Hossain, Ahamed; Izumori, Ken; Bhattacharjee, Partha S.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose To determine the therapeutic efficacy of a novel rare sugar, L-psicose, for the treatment of HSV-1 induced herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK) in a mouse eye model. Methods One rare sugar L-psicose was assayed for HSV-1 inhibition of in vitro virus adsorption. The IC50 and IC90 values of L-psicose were determined using plaque reduction assay (PRA) in CV-1 cell. Female Balb/c mice were corneally infected with HSV-1, strain KOS-GFP; A topical eye drop treatment of L-psicose was started 24 h after infection and continued four times daily for ten consecutive days. The severity of HSK was monitored by slit lamp examination in a masked fashion and Infectious HSV-1 shedding was determined by PRA. Results L-psicose was found to have anti-viral activity in vitro at an IC50 dose of 99.5 mM and an IC90 dose of 160 mM. Topical eye drop treatment with 200 mM L-psicose in PBS solution significantly reduced the severity of HSK compared to the mock treatment group. The in vivo mouse ocular model results of L-psicose therapy correlated with accelerated clearance of virus from eye swabs. Conclusion The results suggest that topical treatment with rare sugar L-psicose has efficacy against HSK through inhibition of HSV-1. PMID:27262904

  6. The effect of temperature on the discomfort caused by topical local anaesthesia.

    PubMed Central

    Callear, A B

    1995-01-01

    The warming of local anaesthetic solutions to reduce the pain felt on injection is common practice in a number of medical sub-specialties. A study was undertaken to assess the effect of temperature on the discomfort caused by local anaesthetic eye drops. Tropical anaesthetics amethocaine 1%, oxybuprocaine 0.4% and lignocaine 4% were studied, and after the application of strict exclusion criteria 60 patients were selected, 20 patients for each anaesthetic. Each patient group received a topical anaesthetic at 42 degrees C in one eye and at room temperature in the other. A 10 point visual analogue scale was used to assess the discomfort experienced. No statistically significant difference was found between the discomfort caused by drops at each temperature for any of the three anaesthetics studied. There appears no benefit in warming topical anaesthetic agents prior to their use. PMID:8786596

  7. Spirit Ascent Movie, Rover's-Eye View

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2005-01-01

    A movie assembled from frames taken by the rear hazard-identification camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the last few days of the rover's ascent to the crest of 'Husband Hill' inside Mars' Gusev Crater. The rover was going in reverse. Rover planners often drive Spirit backwards to keep wheel lubrication well distributed. The images in this clip span a timeframe from Spirit's 573rd martian day, or sol (Aug, 13, 2005) to sol 582 (Aug. 22, 2005), the day after the rover reached the crest. During that period, Spirit drove 136 meters (446 feet),

  8. Stability of epitheliotrophic factors in autologous serum eye drops from chronic Stevens-Johnson syndrome dry eye compared to non-autoimmune dry eye.

    PubMed

    Phasukkijwatana, Nopasak; Lertrit, Patcharee; Liammongkolkul, Sompong; Prabhasawat, Pinnita

    2011-09-01

    To compare the concentrations of epitheliotrophic factors in autologous serum eye drops (ASE) prepared from sera of chronic Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) patients with dry eyes to those prepared from non-autoimmune dry eye controls and to study the stability of the epitheliotrophic factors in different storage conditions. Twenty-percent ASE were prepared from 10 chronic SJS patients with dry eyes and 10 age-matched non-autoimmune dry eye controls. The concentrations of major epitheliotrophic factors comprising epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), transforming growth factor-beta2 (TGF-β2), and fibronectin in those ASE preparations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline and after different storage conditions: at 4 °C for 1 week and 1 month; and at -20 °C for 1, 3 and 6 months. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of EGF, TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and fibronectin in 20% ASE between the SJS and control groups (EGF: 176.9 ± 40.9 vs. 185.5 ± 36.9 pg/mL, TGF-β1: 9.5 ± 2.1 vs. 9.5 ± 1.9 ng/mL, TGF-β2: 55.3 ± 30.0 vs. 63.91 ± 45.6 pg/mL and fibronectin: 70.5 ± 20.2 vs. 62.2 ± 21.3 µg/mL, respectively). These factors were stable at 4 °C for up to 1 month. Storage at -20 °C for up to 6 months resulted in a slight decrease in TGF-β1 (SJS: from 9.5-8.4 ng/mL, p < 0.01 and control: from 9.5-8.1 ng/mL, p < 0.01). The results suggested that the epitheliotrophic capacity of ASE from chronic SJS should be comparable to those from non-autoimmune dry eye patients, and that ASE should be sufficiently stable for up to 6 months, if stored properly at -20 °C.

  9. Keratoconjunctivitis and Periorbital Edema due to Ecballium elaterium

    PubMed Central

    Brouzas, Dimitrios; Oanta, Mariana; Loukianou, Eleni; Moschos1st, Marillita

    2012-01-01

    Purpose To report on a case of keratoconjunctivitis with periorbital edema after accidental exposure to undiluted juice of Ecballium elaterium fruit during the ripening season of this plant. Methods Case report. Results Keratoconjunctivitis with Descemet's membrane folds and superficial upper corneal well-defined edematous areas were noted after an Ecballium elaterium fruit burst and its juice splashed into the patient's left eye. Prompt administration of antibiotic and steroid eye drops along with per os antihistamine therapy, resulted in quick regression of symptoms. Conclusions This report demonstrates the toxic effects of this herb to the eye and also that prompt therapy is effective. PMID:22529808

  10. Dynamic wetting of a liquid film in a vertical hydrophobic tube

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pigeonneau, Franck; Hayoun, Pascaline; Barthel, Etienne; Lequeux, Francois; Verneuil, Emilie; Letailleur, Alban; Teisseire, Jeremie; Saint-Gobain Recherche Collaboration; Espci-Physico-Chimie Des Polymeres Et Milieux Disperses Collaboration; Surface Du Verre Et Interfaces Collaboration

    2016-11-01

    The drop of a liquid plug through a tube occurs for instance in vending machine. In such a system, the fouling is linked to the creation of the liquid film at the rear of the liquid plug. Consequently, the conditions leading to the film creation are important to know. We study numerically the dynamic wetting transition of a liquid plug undergoing gravity on hydrophobic surface in a vertical tube. Using a lubrication theory, the liquid film thickness obeys the mass conservation equation with a volume flow rate depending on the relative motion of the tube, capillary and gravity forces. An ad hoc friction at the triple line is used to take into account the wetting dynamics. The lubrication equation is solved using a finite difference technique in space and a time integrator for stiff system with an adaptive time step. The numerical results are compared to experimental data. The complex film morphology due to the transients and the critical slowing down at the dynamic transition are reproduced. However, several experimental features are not predicted numerically especially the width of the transition. Our preliminary calculations suggest that the dispersion relation of the liquid film mode can explain the discrepancy.

  11. Semifluorinated Alkane Eye Drops for Treatment of Dry Eye Disease Due to Meibomian Gland Disease.

    PubMed

    Steven, Philipp; Augustin, Albert J; Geerling, Gerd; Kaercher, Thomas; Kretz, Florian; Kunert, Kathleen; Menzel-Severing, Johannes; Schrage, Norbert; Schrems, Wolfgang; Krösser, Sonja; Beckert, Michael; Messmer, Elisabeth M

    2017-11-01

    Meibomian gland disease is generally accepted as the leading cause for evaporative dry eye disease (DED). In a previous study, perfluorohexyloctane, a semifluorinated alkane, has been demonstrated to significantly increase tear film breakup time and to reduce corneal fluorescein staining in patients with evaporative DED, thereby vastly reducing dry eye-related symptoms. This study was set up to evaluate perfluorohexyloctane in a larger population of patients with Meibomian gland dysfunction. Seventy-two patients with Meibomian gland disease and associated dry eye received 1 drop of perfluorohexyloctane 4 times daily during an observational, prospective, multicenter, 6-8-week study. Clinical assessment included best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, Schirmer test I, tear film breakup time, anterior and posterior blepharitis assessment, number of expressible Meibomian glands, meibum quality and quantity, ocular surface fluorescein staining, lid margin and symptom assessment, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI © ). From the 72 patients recruited, 61 completed the trial per protocol. Nine patients did not apply the medication as recommended and 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Tear film breakup time, corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining, number of expressible Meibomian glands, and severity of anterior and posterior blepharitis significantly improved after 6-8 weeks of perfluorohexyloctane application. In addition, symptoms improved as demonstrated by a significant decrease of OSDI-values from 37 (±13) to 26 (±16). In concordance with previous findings, 6-8 weeks of topical application of perfluorohexyloctane significantly improves clinical signs of Meibomian gland disease and associated mild to moderate DED.

  12. Motor neuronopathy with dropped hands and downbeat nystagmus: a distinctive disorder? A case report.

    PubMed

    Thakore, Nimish J; Pioro, Erik P; Rucker, Janet C; Leigh, R John

    2006-01-12

    Eye movements are clinically normal in most patients with motor neuron disorders until late in the disease course. Rare patients are reported to show slow vertical saccades, impaired smooth pursuit, and gaze-evoked nystagmus. We report clinical and oculomotor findings in three patients with motor neuronopathy and downbeat nystagmus, a classic sign of vestibulocerebellar disease. All patients had clinical and electrodiagnostic features of anterior horn cell disease. Involvement of finger and wrist extensors predominated, causing finger and wrist drop. Bulbar or respiratory dysfunction did not occur. All three had clinically evident downbeat nystagmus worse on lateral and downgaze, confirmed on eye movement recordings using the magnetic search coil technique in two patients. Additional oculomotor findings included alternating skew deviation and intermittent horizontal saccadic oscillations, in one patient each. One patient had mild cerebellar atrophy, while the other two had no cerebellar or brainstem abnormality on neuroimaging. The disorder is slowly progressive, with survival up to 30 years from the time of onset. The combination of motor neuronopathy, characterized by early and prominent wrist and finger extensor weakness, and downbeat nystagmus with or without other cerebellar eye movement abnormalities may represent a novel motor neuron syndrome.

  13. Motor neuronopathy with dropped hands and downbeat nystagmus: A distinctive disorder? A case report

    PubMed Central

    Thakore, Nimish J; Pioro, Erik P; Rucker, Janet C; Leigh, R John

    2006-01-01

    Background Eye movements are clinically normal in most patients with motor neuron disorders until late in the disease course. Rare patients are reported to show slow vertical saccades, impaired smooth pursuit, and gaze-evoked nystagmus. We report clinical and oculomotor findings in three patients with motor neuronopathy and downbeat nystagmus, a classic sign of vestibulocerebellar disease. Case presentation All patients had clinical and electrodiagnostic features of anterior horn cell disease. Involvement of finger and wrist extensors predominated, causing finger and wrist drop. Bulbar or respiratory dysfunction did not occur. All three had clinically evident downbeat nystagmus worse on lateral and downgaze, confirmed on eye movement recordings using the magnetic search coil technique in two patients. Additional oculomotor findings included alternating skew deviation and intermittent horizontal saccadic oscillations, in one patient each. One patient had mild cerebellar atrophy, while the other two had no cerebellar or brainstem abnormality on neuroimaging. The disorder is slowly progressive, with survival up to 30 years from the time of onset. Conclusion The combination of motor neuronopathy, characterized by early and prominent wrist and finger extensor weakness, and downbeat nystagmus with or without other cerebellar eye movement abnormalities may represent a novel motor neuron syndrome. PMID:16409626

  14. Effects of Quercetin in a Mouse Model of Experimental Dry Eye.

    PubMed

    Oh, Ha Na; Kim, Chae Eun; Lee, Ji Hyun; Yang, Jae Wook

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the effect of treatment with quercetin in a mouse model of dry eye. 0.5% quercetin eye drops were prepared and an experimental dry eye model was induced in NOD.B10.H2(b) mice through desiccation stress. The mice were divided into 3 groups according to the treatment regimen: the DS 10D group (desiccation stress for 10 days), the phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group, and the quercetin group. Tear volumes and corneal irregularity scores were measured at 3, 5, 7, and 10 days after treatment. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, periodic acid-Schiff staining, and immunohistochemistry were performed at the end of the experiment. The quercetin group had increased tear volumes (0.2 ± 0.03 μm, P < 0.05) and decreased corneal irregularity scores (0.7 ± 0.6, P < 0.05) compared with those of the PBS group. On histological examination, the quercetin group exhibited restored smooth corneal surfaces without detaching corneal epithelial cells and had significantly increased goblet cell density (13.8 ± 0.8 cells/0.1 mm², P < 0.05) compared with the PBS group. The quercetin group also exhibited significant declines of MMP-2 (5.1-fold of control, P < 0.01), MMP-9 (2.5-fold of control, P < 0.01), ICAM-1 (2.2-fold of control, P < 0.01), and VCAM-1 (2.3-fold of control, P < 0.01) levels in the lacrimal gland than did the PBS group. Topical application of quercetin can help to improve ocular surface disorders of dry eye not only by decreasing the corneal surface irregularity but also by increasing the tear volume and goblet cell density. Moreover, quercetin has the potential for use in eye drops as a treatment for dry eye disease with antiinflammatory effects on the lacrimal functional unit.

  15. Pupillographic evaluation of the time course of atropine effects in the mouse eye.

    PubMed

    Schaeffel, Frank; Burkhardt, Eva

    2005-03-01

    The nonselective muscarinic antagonist atropine is currently the most potent drug against myopia development in both humans and animal models. However, the mechanism by which myopia is suppressed is still unknown, and the time course of its action is not well documented. Therefore, we have studied the duration of mydriasis in the mouse, a new model of myopia, after topical application of a single eye drop with different doses of atropine. The light-induced pupil response of the C57BL/6 (B6) wildtype strain was studied in alert mice that were restrained by grasping their necks. A video image-processing program detected the pupil and measured its diameter at 25 Hz sampling rate. To stimulate, an arrangement of green LEDs, which was attached to the recording video camera, could be flashed for 40 ms by pressing a key on the keyboard. A single drop of atropine solution (1, 0.5, or 0.1%) was instilled in one eye and the recovery of the pupil responses was followed for at least 150 h. Both eyes were measured. 1) Under the defined stimulation conditions, untreated wildtype mice displayed a pupil constriction of 23.7 +/- 2.4%. 2) All doses of atropine caused complete suppression of the pupil responses in the treated eyes within 1 min. 3) The pupil responses of the fellow eyes remained unaffected and were not different from those in untreated animals. 4) The recovery from mydriasis was very slow and did not show clear differences with dose. The extrapolated duration of complete recovery was about 10 d (0.1%: 217 h; 0.5%: 230 h; 1%: 294 h). Atropine caused a longlasting suppression of the pupil responses in the mouse eye. That the duration of recovery was not obviously dose-dependent suggests that all doses used in this study were saturating the receptors in the iris musculature.

  16. [MITOCHONDRIA-TARGETED ANTIOXIDANTS IN THE PREVENTION OF THE CORNEA EROSION WHEN PERFORMING SURGERY UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA.

    PubMed

    Gusev, E A; Chemodanov, D V; Sungurov, V A; Neverovsky, E A; Grebenchikov, O A; Likhvantsev, V V

    2017-09-01

    Despite the use of modern methods of prevention, at least 10% of patients operated on for ophthalmic indications not develop corneal erosion as the indirect complication of general anesthesia. To reduce the number of ophthalmic complications of general anesthesia by prophylactic use of new mito- chondria-targeted antioxidants - Vizomitin (eye drops). 70 patients, which was supposed to perform the average duration of operations under general anesthesia were randomized into 3 groups depending on the method specific (pharmacological) prevention of corneal erosions: (1) control (specic (pharmacological) prevention was not carried out), (2), using preparation "natural tear, and (3) "Vizomitin" preparation. Postoperative biomicroscopy was performed to assess the condition of the cornea, tear film stability was measured and the height of the tear meniscus. When using eye drops "Vizomitin" value is an indicator of stability of the tear film on the 3rd day after the operation more than in the control group of patients by 51% (p = 0.012) and patients groups, natural tear by 57% (p = 0.013). Surgical interventions performed under general anesthesia, leading to an increase in the number ofpatients with decreased tear meniscus height index of the control group with 4 to 7 patients (p = 0.30) in the group of natural tear from 3 to 11 patients (p = 0.008) . In the group with drug "Vizomitin" the number of such patients is reduced from 7 to 1 (p = 0.018). In the surgical procedures under general anesthesia eye drops "Vizomitin" effectively prevents the devel- opment of corneal erosion.

  17. In vitro effects of preserved and unpreserved anti-allergic drugs on human corneal epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Guzman-Aranguez, Ana; Calvo, Patricia; Ropero, Inés; Pintor, Jesús

    2014-11-01

    Treatment with topical eye drops for long-standing ocular diseases like allergy can induce detrimental side effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate in vitro cytotoxicity of commercially preserved and unpreserved anti-allergic eye drops on the viability and barrier function of monolayer and stratified human corneal-limbal epithelial cells. Cells were treated with unpreserved ketotifen solution, benzalkonium chloride (BAC)-containing anti-allergic drugs (ketotifen, olopatadine, levocabastine) as well as BAC alone. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine cell viability. Effects of compounds on barrier function were analyzed measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) to determine paracellular permeability and rose bengal assays to evaluate transcellular barrier formation. The BAC-preserved anti-allergic formulations and BAC alone significantly reduced cell viability, monolayer cultures being more sensitive to damage by these solutions. Unpreserved ketotifen induced the least diminution in cell viability. The extent of decrease of cell viability was clearly dependent of BAC presence, but it was also affected by the different types of drugs when the concentration of BAC was low and the short time of exposure. Treatment with BAC-containing anti-allergic drugs and BAC alone resulted in increased paracellular permeability and loss of transcellular barrier function as indicated by TEER measurement and rose bengal assays. The presence of the preservative BAC in anti-allergic eye drop formulations contributes importantly to the cytotoxic effects induced by these compounds. Stratified cell cultures seem to be a more relevant model for toxicity evaluation induced on the ocular surface epithelia than monolayer cultures.

  18. [Safety and efficacy of a new preservative-free levocabastine ophthalmic solution (Levofree®) using the conjunctival provocation test].

    PubMed

    Allaire, C; Siou-Mermet, R; Bassols, A

    2012-09-01

    To evaluate the safety and efficacy of preservative-free levocabastine 0.05 % ophthalmic solution compared to placebo (vehicle) and to preserved levocabastine 0.05 % ophthalmic suspension in the prevention of allergic conjunctivitis induced by a conjunctival provocation test. Ninety-two subjects (18-50 years) with a previous history of allergic conjunctivitis to pollen were randomised to receive either preservative-free levocabastine solution in one eye and preserved levocabastine suspension in the fellow eye (n=69), or preservative-free levocabastine in one eye and placebo in the fellow eye (n=23). One drop of each product was administered 10 minutes (visit 3) and 4 hours (visit 4) prior to the provocation test. The primary efficacy criterion was the sum of the itching and conjunctival hyperemia scores assessed at 3, 5 and 10 minutes after the provocation test. The safety evaluation included adverse events, visual acuity, intra-ocular pressure and study drug drop sensation. The efficacy of the preservative-free solution was significantly higher than that of placebo at all time points (P≤0.01) with one exception at visit 4 (3 minutes after the provocation test). It was significantly higher than that of the preserved suspension at visit 3, and equivalent at visit 4. The incidence of adverse events was lower with the preservative-free solution than with the preserved suspension. 94.2 % and 95.7 % subjects rated preservative-free levocabastine drop sensation as "good" or "very good" at visits 3 and 4 respectively, whereas these rates were 68.1 % and 63.8 % with preserved levocabastine. This difference between the two formulations was highly statistically significant (P<0.001). The efficacy of preservative-free levocabastine was superior to that of the placebo and of the preserved suspension at visit 3, at least as effective as the preserved suspension at visit 4, and better tolerated at each visit. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Dexamethasone Ophthalmic

    MedlinePlus

    ... stopping to breast-feed if you use dexamethasone eye drops.tell your doctor if you wear soft contact lenses. If the brand of dexamethasone you are using contains benzalkonium chloride, wait at least 15 minutes after using the medicine to put in soft contact lenses.

  20. Development of a Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Amino Acid-Dicarboxylate Prodrug With Improved Ocular Bioavailability

    PubMed Central

    Adelli, Goutham R.; Bhagav, Prakash; Taskar, Pranjal; Hingorani, Tushar; Pettaway, Sara; Gul, Waseem; ElSohly, Mahmoud A.; Repka, Michael A.; Majumdar, Soumyajit

    2017-01-01

    Purpose The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of the relatively hydrophilic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) prodrugs, mono and di-valine esters (THC-Val and THC-Val-Val) and the amino acid (valine)-dicarboxylic acid (hemisuccinate) ester (THC-Val-HS), with respect to ocular penetration and intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering activity. THC, timolol, and pilocarpine eye drops were used as controls. Methods THC-Val, THC-Val-Val, and THC-Val-HS were synthesized and chemically characterized. Aqueous solubility and in vitro transcorneal permeability of THC and the prodrugs, in the presence of various surfactants and cyclodextrins, were determined. Two formulations were evaluated for therapeutic activity in the α-chymotrypsin induced rabbit glaucoma model, and the results were compared against controls comprising of THC emulsion and marketed timolol maleate and pilocarpine eye drops. Results THC-Val-HS demonstrated markedly improved solubility (96-fold) and in vitro permeability compared to THC. Selected formulations containing THC-Val-HS effectively delivered THC to the anterior segment ocular tissues in the anesthetized rabbits: 62.1 ng/100 μL of aqueous humor (AH) and 51.4 ng/50 mg of iris ciliary bodies (IC) (total THC). The duration and extent of IOP lowering induced by THC-Val-HS was 1 hour longer and 10% greater, respectively, than that obtained with THC and was comparable with the pilocarpine eye drops. Timolol ophthalmic drops, however, exhibited a longer duration of activity. Both THC and THC-Val-HS were detected in the ocular tissues following multiple dosing of THC-Val-HS in conscious animals. The concentration of THC in the iris-ciliary bodies at the 60- and 120-minute time points (53 and 57.4 ng/50 mg) were significantly greater than that of THC-Val-HS (24.2 and 11.3 ng/50 mg). Moreover, at the two time points studied, the concentration of THC was observed to increase or stay relatively constant, whereas THC-Val-HS concentration decreased by at least 50%. A similar trend was observed in the retina-choroid tissues. Conclusions A combination of prodrug derivatization and formulation development approaches significantly improved the penetration of THC into the anterior segment of the eye following topical application. Enhanced ocular penetration resulted in significantly improved IOP-lowering activity. PMID:28399267

  1. Liquid lubrication for space applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fusaro, Robert L.; Khonsari, Michael M.

    1992-01-01

    Reviewed here is the state of the art of liquid lubrication for space applications. The areas discussed are types of liquid lubrication mechanisms, space environmental effects on lubrication, classification of lubricants, liquid lubricant additives, grease lubrication, mechanism materials, bearing anomalies and failures, lubricant supply techniques, and application types and lubricant needs for those applications.

  2. Liquid lubrication for space applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fusaro, Robert L.; Khonsari, Michael M.

    1993-01-01

    Reviewed here is the state of the art of liquid lubrication for space applications. The areas discussed are types of liquid lubrication mechanisms, space environmental effects on lubrication, classification of lubricants, liquid lubricant additives, grease lubrication, mechanism materials, bearing anomalies and failures, lubricant supply techniques, and application types and lubricant needs for those applications.

  3. Controlled delivery of pirfenidone through vitamin E-loaded contact lens ameliorates corneal inflammation.

    PubMed

    Dixon, Phillip; Ghosh, Tanushri; Mondal, Kalyani; Konar, Aditya; Chauhan, Anuj; Hazra, Sarbani

    2018-06-01

    Chemical injury by alkali burn is a major cause of corneal blindness in the clinical setting. Current management advocates multiple therapies aimed to prevent inflammation, initiate quick re-epithelialization, arrest the fibrosis, and avoid dry eye and pain by using bandage contact lenses. We hypothesized sustained delivery of the anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic drug pirfenidone through vitamin E-loaded contact lenses as a logical single approach to counter the pathology involved. Vitamin E particles were created in situ in commercial silicon hydrogel contact lenses by soaking the lenses in a vitamin E-ethanol solution. The vitamin E-laden lenses were then placed into pirfenidone-saline solution to load the drug into the lens. The contact lenses were evaluated by both in vitro and in vivo means. For in vitro, lenses were placed into 3 mL of saline solution. The concentration of pirfenidone released was measured by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The contact lenses were implanted in rabbit eyes following the alkali burn; the drug availability in the aqueous humor was evaluated by HPLC at various time points 10 min, 30 min, 2 h, and 3 h; and gene expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β1 was evaluated in the cornea at the end of the study period. In another group of rabbits inflicted with alkali injury, the corneas were graded after 7 days of contact lens implantation with and without pirfenidone. A mathematical model was developed for delivery of the drug to the cornea and aqueous humor after a contact lens is inserted in the eye. The model was validated with experimental data and used to determine the bioavailability both for contact lenses and eye drops. In vitro release of unmodified commercial contact lenses saw a release time of approximately 20 min, with a partition coefficient of 2.68 ± 0.06. The release of pirfenidone from 20% vitamin E-loaded lenses saw a release time of approximately 80 min, with a partition coefficient of 4.20 ±  0.04. In vivo, the drug was available in the aqueous humor for up to 3 h. Gene expression of inflammatory cytokine IL-β1 and profibrotic growth factor TGF-β1 was significantly suppressed in corneas treated with pirfenidone contact lenses. A week after the alkali burn, the eyes with pirfenidone contact lenses showed significant improvement in corneal haze in comparison to the control eyes. About 50% of the drug loaded in the lens reached the aqueous humor compared to 1.3% with eye drops. Vitamin E-loaded contact lenses serve as a suitable platform for delivery of pirfenidone following alkali burn in rabbit eyes; positive pre-clinical outcome identifies it as promising therapy for addressing corneal inflammation and fibrosis. The bioavailability is about 40-fold higher for contact lenses compared to that for eye drops.

  4. Time course of changes in tear meniscus radius and blink rate after instillation of artificial tears.

    PubMed

    Bandlitz, Stefan; Purslow, Christine; Murphy, Paul J; Pult, Heiko

    2014-08-26

    Using a novel digital meniscometer (PDM), alterations in tear meniscus radius (TMR) were measured simultaneously with blink rate (BR) following the instillation of artificial tears. Central TMR and BR of 22 subjects (11 male and 11 female; mean age, 24.3 ± 2.6 SD years) were measured at baseline, and 0, 1, 5, 10, and 30 minutes after instillation of an artificial tear containing hydroxypropyl-guar and glycol (SYS) or saline (SAL). A dose of 35 μL was applied in one eye in a randomized order with a washout period between each drop. For SAL, compared to baseline TMR (0.33 ± 0.08 mm), TMR significantly increased with drop instillation (1.55 ± 0.69 mm) and at 1 minute (0.66 ± 0.36 mm; P < 0.05), but returned to baseline after 5 minutes. For SYS, TMR (0.32 ± 0.07 mm) remained significantly increased after application (1.62 ± 0.81 mm), and at 1 minute (0.81 ± 0.43 mm) and 5 minutes (0.39 ± 0.08 mm; P < 0.05). Compared to baseline BR with SAL (14.8 ± 7.7) and SYS (14.9 ± 9.4), values were significantly increased upon drop instillation (22.5 ± 11.8; 21.3 ± 11.8; P < 0.05), but returned to baseline after 1 minute. Dry eye symptoms were correlated with baseline BR (r = 0.550, P = 0.008). Results indicate that PDM can detect changes in TMR following instillation of artificial tears. Difference in residence time reflects the different viscosity of each drop. An overload with a large drop may result in an initially increased BR. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  5. Sodium Phosphate Rectal

    MedlinePlus

    ... not give the adult-size enema to a child. If you are giving the child-size enema to a child who is 2 to 5 years of age, ... eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. ...

  6. Calculation of nanodrop profile from fluid density distribution.

    PubMed

    Berim, Gersh O; Ruckenstein, Eli

    2016-05-01

    Two approaches are examined, which can be used to determine the drop profile from the fluid density distributions (FDDs) obtained on the basis of microscopic theories. For simplicity, only two-dimensional (cylindrical, or axisymmetrical) distributions are examined and it is assumed that the fluid is either in contact with a smooth solid or separated from the smooth solid by a lubricating liquid film. The first approach is based on the sharp-kink interface approximation in which the density of the liquid inside and the density of the vapor outside the drop are constant with the exception of the surface layer of the drop where the density is different from the above ones. In this case, the drop profile was calculated by minimizing the total potential energy of the system. The second approach is based on a nonuniform FDD obtained either by the density functional theory or molecular dynamics simulations. To determine the drop profile from such an FDD, which does not contain sharp interfaces, three procedures can be used. In the first two procedures, P1 and P2, the one-dimensional FDDs along straight lines which are parallel to the surface of the solid are extracted from the two-dimensional FDD. Each of those one-dimensional FDDs has a vapor-liquid interface at which the fluid density changes from vapor-like to liquid-like values. Procedure P1 uses the locations of the equimolar dividing surfaces for the one-dimensional FDDs as points of the drop profile. Procedure P2 is based on the assumption that the fluid density is constant on the surface of the drop, that density being selected either arbitrarily or as a fluid density at the location of the equimolar dividing surface for one of the one-dimensional FDDs employed in procedure P1. In the third procedure, P3, which is suggested for the first time in this paper, the one-dimensional FDDs are taken along the straight lines passing through a selected point inside the drop (radial line). Then, the drop profile is calculated like in procedure P1. It is shown, that procedure P3 provides a drop profile which is more reasonable than the other ones. Relationship of the discussed procedures to those used in image analysis is briefly discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Mechanisms and management of dry eye in cataract surgery patients.

    PubMed

    Sutu, Christine; Fukuoka, Hideki; Afshari, Natalie A

    2016-01-01

    To provide a summary of the mechanisms that may cause dry eye after cataract surgery and discuss available and upcoming treatment modalities. Development or worsening of dry eye symptoms after cataract surgery is multifactorial with corneal nerve transection, inflammation, goblet cell loss, and meibomian gland dysfunction commonly cited as underlying disorders. With increasing awareness of the prevalence of dry eye disease, current surgical techniques are being analyzed for their contribution to the issue. Although many classic interventions, such as artificial tears and anti-inflammatory drops, remain first-line treatment options, they may not adequately address abnormalities of the tear film. The trend has been to create new drugs and technologies that target meibomian gland deficiencies and restore goblet cell numbers. Therapy for postoperative dry eye symptoms should be determined based on symptom severity and which underlying cause is most prominent at a given time. Patients with high-level risk factors for dry eye should be evaluated preoperatively to determine whether they have preexisting dry eye disease or if they are susceptible to developing disease after surgery.

  8. Bilateral fungal keratitis with ring infiltrates: a rare scenario.

    PubMed

    Chaniyara, Manthan Hasmukhbhai; Pujari, Amar; Urkude, Jayanand; Sharma, Namrata

    2017-10-09

    A 12-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with chief complaints of pain, redness, discharge and diminution of vision in both eyes over the previous 20 days. There was no history of preceding trauma, contact lens use, any eye drop usage or ocular surgery. Systemic history was not significant. Presenting uncorrected visual acuity in his right eye was counting fingers at 1 m and 20/200 in the left eye, with accurate projection of rays in both eyes. Slit lamp biomicroscopy showed the presence of bilateral diffuse conjunctival congestion, corneal ring infiltrates and epithelial defect with corneal oedema. Potassium hydroxide wet mount showed the presence of septate fungal hyphae. The patient was treated with topical 5% natamycin and 1% voriconazole over a period of 6 weeks. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/600 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye at 6-month follow-up. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  9. Comparison of Short-Term Effects of Diquafosol and Rebamipide on Mucin 5AC Level on the Rabbit Ocular Surface.

    PubMed

    Hori, Yuichi; Kageyama, Tomofumi; Sakamoto, Asuka; Shiba, Tomoaki; Nakamura, Masatsugu; Maeno, Takatoshi

    To investigate the short-term effects of 2 new secretagogue eye drops for dry eye, 3% diquafosol tetrasodium ophthalmic solution (diquafosol) and 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension (rebamipide), on the concentration of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in rabbit tear fluid and conjunctival goblet cells. One dose of artificial tears, diquafosol or rebamipide, was instilled into 8 eyes of Japanese white rabbits. MUC5AC concentration in the tear fluid was examined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay 15 min after instillation and compared with 8 untreated controls. Impression cytology was performed to measure the number of periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-positive cells and the ratio of the PAS-positive area using image analysis software. Statistical comparison was performed using ANOVA with post hoc analysis with the Tukey's test. After 15 min, only diquafosol significantly (P ≤ 0.01) increased the MUC5AC level in the tear fluid. Although no drug affected the number of PAS-positive cells, the ratio of the PAS-positive area decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.01) only in the diquafosol group. These data indicated that more PAS-positive MUC5AC was released into the tear fluid from the goblet cells by diquafosol than by rebamipide. There is a difference in the induction pattern of MUC5AC into the tears from the goblet cells between these eye drops.

  10. Trends in ophthalmic antimicrobial utilization pattern in Bahrain between 1993 and 2000: a resurgence of chloramphenicol?

    PubMed

    Jassim Al Khaja, K A; Sequeira, R R; Mathur, V S

    2003-01-01

    The occurrence of aplastic anemia following topical administration of ophthalmic chloramphenicol is controversial and debated internationally. We have determined the influence of such debate on the utilization of ophthalmic chloramphenicol in Bahrain, through studying the utilization patterns of ophthalmic antimicrobial preparations by the Ministry of Health, with an emphasis on chloramphenicol, between 1993 and 2000. Cost-implications of these patterns are examined. Information on the annual purchase of ophthalmic antimicrobial drug preparations and their unit price was obtained from the Directorate of Materials Management, Ministry of Health, and analyzed. In 1993, the 3 most commonly purchased ophthalmic antibacterial preparations were oxytetracycline 1% eye ointment (40.1%); sulfacetamide 10% and 20% eye drops (25.3%); and chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops and 1% eye ointment (10.8%). In 2000, oxytetracycline remained the most frequently purchased preparation (33%), followed by chloramphenicol (21.2%). Between 1993 and 1999, chloramphenicol purchases fluctuated between 10% to 16.4% with a remarkable increase to 21.2%, in 2000. Chloramphenicol accounted for 8.6% and 15.1% of cost of total ophthalmic preparations purchased in 1993 and 2000, respectively. Despite continued concerns of potential risks of ophthalmic chloramphenicol, this preparation is extensively utilized in Bahrain. We are of the opinion that for minor infections, chloramphenicol ophthalmic preparations should be replaced by safer alternatives. Further, we recommend that their use be reserved for ocular infections that are resistant to other antimicrobials, and that ophthalmologists, at the secondary care level, should supervise such treatment.

  11. [Transcorneal and transscleral iontophoresis of the dexamethasone phosphate into the rabbit eye].

    PubMed

    Raiskup-Wolf, F; Eljarrat-Binstock, E; Rehák, M; Domb, A; Frucht-Pery, J

    2007-09-01

    To evaluate the efficiency of the dexamethasone phosphate penetration into the rabbit eye after transcorneal and transscleral iontophoresis using a drug loaded hydrogel assembled on a portable iontophoretic Mini Ion device. lontophoresis of dexamethasone phosphate was studied in healthy rabbits using drug-loaded disposable HEMA hydrogel sponges and portable iontophoretic device. Corneal iontophoretic administration was performed with electric current of 1 mAmp for 1, 2, and 4 min. In the control group, the dexamethasone was applied in drops into the conjunctival sac. Transconjunctival and transscleral iontophoresis were performed in the pars plana area, through the conjunctiva or directly on the sclera. Dexamethasone concentrations were assayed using HPLC method. To study the anatomical changes after iontophoresis application, histological examinations of corneas excised 5 minutes and 8 hours after the procedure were performed. Dexamethasone levels in the rabbits' corneas after a single transcorneal iontophoresis were up to 38 times higher compared to those obtained after topical eye drops instillation. High drug concentrations were obtained in the retina and sclera 4 hours after transscleral iontophoresis as well. There were no statistically significant differences in the drug concentration after transscleral and tranconjunctival iontophoresis. Histological examination of the corneas after the iontophoresis showed only discrete reversible changes of the epithelium and the stroma. A short, low-current, non-invasive iontophoretic treatment using the dexamethasone-loaded hydrogels has a potential clinical value in increasing the drug's penetration into the anterior and posterior segment of the eye.

  12. A novel rare sugar inhibitor of murine herpes simplex keratitis.

    PubMed

    Muniruzzaman, Syed; McIntosh, Megan; Hossain, Ahamed; Izumori, Ken; Bhattacharjee, Partha S

    2016-06-01

    To determine the therapeutic efficacy of a novel rare sugar, l-psicose, for the treatment of HSV-1 induced herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK) in a mouse eye model. One rare sugar l-psicose was assayed for HSV-1 inhibition of in vitro virus adsorption. The IC50 and IC90 values of l-psicose were determined using plaque reduction assay (PRA) in CV-1 cell. Female Balb/c mice were corneally infected with HSV-1, strain KOS-GFP; A topical eye drop treatment of l-psicose was started 24 h after infection and continued four times daily for ten consecutive days. The severity of HSK was monitored by slit lamp examination in a masked fashion and Infectious HSV-1 shedding was determined by PRA. l-psicose was found to have anti-viral activity in vitro at an IC50 dose of 99.5 mM and an IC90 dose of 160 mM. Topical eye drop treatment with 200 mM l-psicose in PBS solution significantly reduced the severity of HSK compared to the mock treatment group. The in vivo mouse ocular model results of l-psicose therapy correlated with accelerated clearance of virus from eye swabs. The results suggest that topical treatment with rare sugar l-psicose has efficacy against HSK through inhibition of HSV-1. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Safety and Efficacy of Cortisol Phosphate in Hyaluronic Acid Vehicle in the Treatment of Dry Eye in Sjogren Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Rolando, Maurizio; Vagge, Aldo

    2017-06-01

    Evaluation of 0.3% cortisol phosphate eye drops in hyaluronic acid vehicle in the treatment of dry eye in Sjogren Syndrome. This prospective, single-center, masked (single blind), randomized controlled study included 40 female patients divided into 2 groups, group 1 treated with Idracemi, 0.3% cortisol phosphate eye drops twice a day, and group 2 treated with Cortivis, 0.3% cortisol phosphate in hyaluronic acid vehicle, with the same posology. Screening (day -7), randomization (day 0), follow-up (day 7), and termination (day 28) visits were conducted. Symptoms (VAS) questionnaire, tear film breakup time, corneo-conjunctival stain, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, and fundus examination were performed at each visit. Conjunctival impression cytology for human leukocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) expression at visit 1 and 4 was also performed. No changes in IOP or fundus examination were observed in either group at each time point. Group 1 showed at day 28 a statistically significant amelioration of symptoms and reduction of HLA-DR expression. Group 2 showed at day 7 statistically significant improvement of corneal and conjunctival stain versus baseline and versus group 1; the symptom score was statistically significantly better than baseline and versus group 1 after 28 days too. The HLA-DR expression and the epithelial cell area were statistically significantly reduced versus baseline and versus group 1 at the same time. Cortisol phosphate proved to be safe and effective in treating dry eye in Sjogren Syndrome patients in both formulations. However, the formula with hyaluronic acid vehicle proved to be more effective. Both formulations were very well tolerated.

  14. The Wills Eye Glaucoma App: Interest of Patients and Their Caregivers in a Smartphone-based and Tablet-based Glaucoma Application.

    PubMed

    Waisbourd, Michael; Dhami, Hermandeep; Zhou, Chen; Hsieh, Michael; Abichandani, Pramod; Pro, Michael J; Moster, Marlene R; Katz, L Jay; Hark, Lisa A; Myers, Jonathan S

    2016-09-01

    To evaluate the interest of glaucoma patients and their caregivers in a smartphone-based and tablet-based glaucoma application (App), developed by the Wills Eye Glaucoma Research Center in collaboration with Drexel University. Cross-sectional survey of patients with glaucoma and their caregivers. Main outcome measures are answers to survey questions regarding how receptive participants are to using the Glaucoma App. Fifty subjects completed the survey. The mean age (SD) was 59.5 (±17.3) years. A total of 88.6% of the participants lived in a household with access to a smartphone or tablet. The majority (72.3%) of participants would consider downloading the Glaucoma App, and younger participants (<65 y) were more likely to do so compared with their older (≥65 y) counterparts, P=0.025. Participants were more likely to download the App if it was free of charge, compared with a version that costs $3, P=0.018. Although only about one third (37.8%) of participants used eye drop reminders, nearly 3 of 4 (72.9%) participants were receptive to using the automated reminder feature of the Glaucoma App. Glaucoma patients and their caregivers were very interested in using a Glaucoma App; however, many were not willing to spend $3 for an App they seem to value. The free Wills Eye Glaucoma App currently available on the Apple store, includes educational videos, eye drop and appointment reminders, medical and ocular data storage, visual field tutorial, and intraocular pressure tracker. These features aim to increase patients' level of knowledge about glaucoma and improve their adherence to medication and follow-up appointment recommendations.

  15. Determinants of medication adherence to topical glaucoma therapy.

    PubMed

    Dreer, Laura E; Girkin, Christopher; Mansberger, Steven L

    2012-01-01

    To determine the associations between medical, demographic, socioeconomic, and ocular factors and adherence to topical glaucoma ocular hypotensive therapy. One hundred sixteen patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma from 2 tertiary glaucoma services participated in this prospective study. Adherence to ocular hypotensive therapy was measured using an electronic dose monitor (Travatan Dosing Aid, Alcon Laboratories Inc., Fort Worth, TX) and collected data at 3 months after enrollment. We used 3 different definitions of adherence: 1) Definition 1: the proportion of days taking the prescribed number of drops within 3 hours of the prescribed dosing time; 2) Definition 2: the proportion of days taking any drops within 3 hours of the prescribed dosing time; and 3) Definition 3: the proportion of days taking any drops within 6 hours of the prescribed dosing time. Univariate and multivariate models were used to determine the association between the 3 adherence definitions, medical, demographic, socioeconomic, and ocular factors at 3-month follow-up. The main outcome measures for this study were risk factors for poor objective medication adherence. Adherence, using Definition 1, Definition 2, and Definition 3, was 64%, 75%, and 80%, respectively. Age, total number of other eye diseases, and race were significantly associated with full treatment adherence (Definition 1), with race alone significantly predicting 11% of full treatment adherence. For Definition 2, age, income, level of education, and total number of eye diseases were significantly associated with partial adherence (3 h), again race alone significantly predicted 15% of partial adherence (any drops within 3 h). For Definition 3, race, income, level of education, and total number of other eye diseases significantly predicted partial adherence (any drops within 6 h), both race and income predicted 19% of partial treatment adherence. Significant differences for adherence rates between patients of European descent and those of African descent were found for all 3 definitions with those who were less adherent more likely to be of African descent. Electronic dose monitors provide important information regarding adherence to topical ocular hypotensive medications in glaucoma patients. Electronic dose monitors show low adherence in a significant number of participants. Future studies are needed to determine the reasons for these differences in health behaviors related to glaucoma treatment, which should guide treatment of poor adherence with glaucoma therapy.

  16. Aral Sea

    Atmospheric Science Data Center

    2013-04-16

    ... the fourth-largest inland sea in the world. Since then, its water volume has dropped by about 80% due to extensive irrigation systems ... in 3D requires the use of red-blue glasses, with the red filter placed over your left eye. Information on ordering glasses can be found ...

  17. Comparison Between Botulinum Toxin A Injection and Lacrimal Punctal Plugs for the Control of Post-LASIK Dry Eye Manifestations: A Prospective Study.

    PubMed

    Fouda, Sameh M; Mattout, Hala K

    2017-06-01

    Laser in situ keratomelieusis (LASIK) is one of the commonest refractive procedures performed nowadays. The dry eye problem is nearly universal in all patients after LASIK and it can be so annoying that the post-operative patient satisfaction is sometimes precluded. Conventional treatment includes the use of artificial tears. Alternative methods such as punctal plugs and botulinum toxin injection can be used for the management of post-LASIK dry eye. The aim of this study is to compare botulinum toxin injection in the orbicularis muscle to lacrimal punctal plugs for the control of post-LASIK dry eye manifestations. This is a prospective study that included 60 patients who had LASIK eye surgery for correction of refractive errors. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three methods of dry eye management; the first method was conventional medical treatment with preservative-free tear substitutes only (group A: 20 patients = 40 eyes); the second method was intraoperative injection of botulinum toxin A (BTA) in the orbicularis muscle below the lower punctum of both eyes (group B: 20 patients = 40 eyes) and the third method was intraoperative insertion of temporary extended duration silicone punctal plugs in the lower punctum of both eyes (group C: 20 patients = 40 eyes). In the first follow-up visit after 2 weeks, the two test groups (B, C) showed a statistically significant increase in both tear film break up time (TBUT) and Schirmer test score with a decrease in the OSDI score and daily frequency of lubricants used in comparison to the control group A. These differences were maintained in the next follow-up visit but they became statistically insignificant at the 3rd and 6th post-operative months. Complications were encountered more in the punctal plug patients (60%) than in BTA patients (25%) and this difference was statistically significant. The use of BTA injection to control dry eye symptoms by inducing temporary punctal ectropion is an effective method to improve patient satisfaction after LASIK eye surgery. It has higher level of patient satisfaction and fewer complications in comparison to punctal plugs or topical standard dry eye treatment.

  18. GAMMA RADIATION OF EYE MEDICAMENTS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ogg, A.J.

    1963-07-13

    The use of x rays to sterilize ophthalmological pharmaceutical preparations is described, particularly penicillin and fluorescein drops. The method used with penicillin is to place a tablet (1500 units) in a small vial which is closed with a cork and attached with Sellotape to a 5-ml eye-drop bottle containing 3 ml of normal saline. The bottles were sealed in two polythene envelopes and irradiated at the Wantage Research Lab (AERE) at a dose of 2.5 Mrad. The bags are then stored in a refrigerator at 4 deg C. When required for operation, the outer bag is opened with sterile scissors,more » and the contents tipped onto the surface of the sterile instrument tray. The dropper bulb is filled with saline and introduced into the vial, thereby dissolving the tablet of penicillin. All irradiated preparations were found to be absolutely sterile and fully potent. In the case of fluorescein, 1-in. lengths of gauge 2-intraarterial polythene tubes are filled with the dye from a syringe, and the ends of the tube sealed in a flame. Several hundreds of tubes are irradiated in a single container, and when required, one end of the tube is cut off and a drop squeezed out into the conjunctival sac. (BBB)« less

  19. Effect of the External Lubrication Method for a Rotary Tablet Press on the Adhesion of the Film Coating Layer.

    PubMed

    Kondo, Hisami; Toyota, Hiroyasu; Kamiya, Takayuki; Yamashita, Kazunari; Hakomori, Tadashi; Imoto, Junko; Kimura, Shin-Ichiro; Iwao, Yasunori; Itai, Shigeru

    2017-01-01

    External lubrication is a useful method which reduces the adhesion of powder to punches and dies by spraying lubricants during the tableting process. However, no information is available on whether the tablets prepared using an external lubrication system can be applicable for a film coating process. In this study, we evaluated the adhesion force of the film coating layer to the surface of tablets prepared using an external lubrication method, compared with those prepared using internal lubrication method. We also evaluated wettability, roughness and lubricant distribution state on the tablet surface before film coating, and investigated the relationship between peeling of the film coating layer and these tablet surface properties. Increasing lubrication through the external lubrication method decreased wettability of the tablet surface. However, no change was observed in the adhesion force of the film coating layer. On the other hand, increasing lubrication through the internal lubrication method, decreased both wettability of the tablet surface and the adhesion force of the film coating layer. The magnesium stearate distribution state on the tablet surface was assessed using an X-ray fluorescent analyzer and lubricant agglomerates were observed in the case of the internal lubrication method. However, the lubricant was uniformly dispersed in the external lubrication samples. These results indicate that the distribution state of the lubricant affects the adhesion force of the film coating layer, and external lubrication maintained sufficient lubricity and adhesion force of the film coating layer with a small amount of lubricant.

  20. [Observation on therapeutic effect of dry eye syndrome treated with acupuncture on the acupoints around the eyes].

    PubMed

    Gao, Wei-Ping; Liu, Min; Zhang, Yi-Biao

    2010-06-01

    To observed the clinical efficacy on dry eye syndrome treated with acupuncture on the acupoints around the eyes. Fifty-six cases of dry eye syndrome were divided into two groups, acupuncture group and western medicine group, 28 cases in each one. In acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Jingming (BL 1), Cuanzhu (BL 2), Sizhukong (TE 23), Tongziliao (GB 1), etc. In western medicine group, the topical artificial tear eye drops were administered. The corneal fluorescein staining, breaking-up time (BUT), tear volume and the symptom score were observed before and after treatment in two groups. In comparison before and after treatment in acupuncture group, the statistical significant difference presented in BUT, tear volume and the symptom score (all P < 0.01). In comparison before and after treatment in western medicine group, the statistical significant difference presented in corneal staining, BUT and the symptom score (P < 0.01). The improvements in BUT, tear volume and the symptom score in acupuncture group were superior to those in western medicine group (P < 0.01). Acupuncture on the acupoints around the eyes achieves a quite good efficacy on dry eye syndrome.

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