title: Ocular surface residence times of artificial tear solutions.
abstract: Solutions of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are widely used as artificial tears. However, their usefulness is limited by the short duration of their effect. Dilute sodium hyaluronate (SH) solutions exhibit non-Newtonian rheology with high viscosities at low shear rates, which would be expected to enhance their ocular surface residence time. Using quantitative gamma scintigraphy, estimates of the ocular surface residence times of 0.3% HPMC, 1.4% PVA, and 0.2% SH were made in six patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca. The sodium hyaluronate solution had a mean half-life on the ocular surface of 321 s, significantly longer than hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (44 s; p = 0.012) and polyvinyl alcohol (39 s; p = 0.013).
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, England.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Snibson
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Soper
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tiffany
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bron
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D003315:Cornea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D007638:Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D008747:Methylcellulose; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate