A comparative assessment of the efficacy of carbomer gel and carboxymethyl cellulose containing artificial tears in dry eyes.
The present study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of a 0.4% carbomer gel and 1% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) containing artificial tears in treatment of dry eye patients. Sixty subjects with mean age of 45.89 years who had symptoms and signs of dry eye were enrolled in this prospective, investigator-masked and stratified random sampling study. The subjects were divided into two parallel groups with 30 subjects (60 eyes) in each group. One group received carbomer gel, and the other group received 1% CMC containing artificial tears. Subjects received the drops 3 to 4 times or more per day for 3 months. At the first visit time, the precorneal residence time of these two drops was measured. The efficacy was assessed by comparing the subjective symptoms (ocular dryness, foreign body sensation, burning sensation and pain), and the objective test results of tears breakup time, Schirmer's test and corneal fluorescein staining prior to the study and after the treatment. As a result, the ocular residence time of carbomer gel was significantly longer than that of 1% CMC (P<0.001). Most of the primary subjective symptoms and objective test results were improved after treatment in both carbomer gel group and 1% CMC group. As to the improvement of each symptom and objective test result, carbomer gel was more effective than 1% CMC group (P<0.01). In conclusion, carbomer gel had longer precorneal residence time and was more effective than 1% CMC in the treatment of patients with dry eyes.
Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. xqing163@yahoo.com.cn
Qing
Q
Xiao
Yanhua
Y
Hu
Fei
F
Chen
Xiaomin
X
Chen
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005782:Gels; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; C479038:carbomer; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium