Effect of antibacterial honey on the ocular flora in tear deficiency and meibomian gland disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess for differences in the ocular flora of patients with dry eye caused by tear deficiency and/or meibomian gland disease and to assess the effect of antibacterial honey on the ocular flora in these forms of dry eye.


METHODS
In this prospective, open-label pilot study, bacteria isolated from the eyelid margin and conjunctiva were identified and quantified before and at 1 and 3 months after initiation of treatment with topical application of antibacterial honey 3 times daily. Subjects had non-Sjogren tear deficiency (n = 20), Sjogren syndrome tear deficiency (n = 11), meibomian gland disease (n = 15), and non-Sjogren tear deficiency with meibomian gland disease (n = 20), and there were 18 non-dry eye subjects.


RESULTS
The total colony-forming units (CFUs) isolated from each of the dry eye subgroups before antibacterial honey use was significantly greater than the total CFU isolated from the non-dry eye group. Antibacterial honey use significantly reduced total CFUs for the eyelids and the conjunctiva of dry eye subjects from baseline at month 1 (eyelids: P = 0.0177, conjunctiva: P = 0.0022) and month 3 (eyelids: P < 0.0001, conjunctiva: P < 0.0001). At month 3, there were reductions in total CFUs for all dry eye subgroups such that the CFUs were not significantly different from those of the non-dry eye group.


CONCLUSIONS
From these results, there is sufficient preliminary data to warrant further study of the effects of antibacterial honey in chronic ocular surface diseases.
Albietz
Julie M
JM
Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. julie@darkoptics.com.au
Lenton
Lee M
LM
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008537:Meibomian Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local