Effect of artificial tears on corneal surface regularity, contrast sensitivity, and glare disability in dry eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of artificial tears on corneal surface regularity and visual function in dry eyes.


METHODS
Nonrandomized, comparative trial.


METHODS
Forty patients (40 eyes) with dry eyes with (group 1, n = 15 eyes) or without (group 2, n = 25 eyes) punctate epithelial keratopathy and a normal control group of 20 individuals (20 eyes) with no ocular abnormalities (group 3).


METHODS
In both dry and normal eyes, the surface regularity index (SRI), surface asymmetry index (SAI), and potential visual acuity (PVA) were measured by computer-assisted videokeratography (TMS-1; Computed Anatomy, New York, NY). Spatial-contrast sensitivity and glare disability were also measured before and 1 minute after instillation of artificial tears.


METHODS
Differences in SRI, SAI, PVA, spatial-contrast sensitivity, and glare disability between groups, before instillation of tears, and within groups, after instillation of tears.


RESULTS
Compared with group 3, eyes in group 1 had significantly worse SRI, SAI, PVA, and contrast sensitivity (incomplete glare disability data precluded analysis) before instillation of artificial tears. Differences in corneal surface regularity and visual function between groups 2 and 3 were not significant except for a significantly increased glare disability at low spatial frequency (1.5 cycles per degree [cpd]) in group 2. Significant improvement in SRI, SAI, PVA, and contrast sensitivity were observed after instillation of artificial tears in group 1. In groups 2 and 3, the only significant changes were improvement in glare disability at 1.5 cpd and worsening of the SRI, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Tear film changes in dry eye patients may lead to irregularities on the corneal surfaces, causing glare disability. However, these changes may be too subtle in the early stages of dry eyes to be detected by corneal topography or contrast sensitivity measurements. Significant improvement in SRI, SAI, PVA, and contrast sensitivity were found after instillation of artificial tears in dry eyes with punctate epithelial keratopathy.
D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000187:drug effects*; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D019781:Corneal Topography; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019466:Glare; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012016:Reference Values; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions