Tear Film Break-up Time After Instillation of Artificial Tears

A Randomized, Masked Exploratory Trial Comparing the Effect of Two Different Over-the-Counter Artificial Tear Preparations on Tear Film Break-up Time

This study is an exploratory trial evaluating the tear film break-up time after a single eye drop instillation of over-the-counter artificial tears. The primary hypothesis is that tear film break up time will be greater for test than control eye.

Subjects with varying degrees of dry eye syndrome were enrolled in a randomized, controlled, double masked, single site study. A new formulation of an artificial tear containing glycerin 1% as an active with polylysine-graft-polyethylene glycol as an excipient was compared against a leading commercial product with propylene glycol (0.3%) and polyethylene glycol (0.4%) as active ingredients with hydroxypropyl-guar as a gelling agent. The primary outcome was a comparison of tear film stability after eye drop instillation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age > 18 years
• symptoms of dry eye
• no other history of ophthalmic problems

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of any ocular lubricant or ointment in the past 36 hours
• use of contact lenses or excessive eye lid cosmetics on the study day