title: Clinical treatment of dry eye using 0.03% tacrolimus eye drops.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the clinical outcome of the treatment of dry eyes using 0.03% tacrolimus eye drops (olive oil + tacrolimus 0.03%) (Ophthalmos, Sao Paulo, Brazil).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen eyes of 8 patients with Sjögren syndrome dry eyes (age, 51.13 ± 9.45 years) were enrolled in this study (prospective noncontrolled interventional case series). Patients were instructed to use topical 0.03% tacrolimus eye drops twice a day (every 12 hours) in the lower conjunctival sac. Schirmer I test, break-up time, corneal fluorescein, and rose bengal staining score were performed in all patients 1 day before, and 14, 28, and 90 days after treatment with 0.03% tacrolimus eye drops.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average fluorescein staining and rose bengal staining scores improved statistically significantly after 14 days of treatment and improved even more after 28 and 90 days. The average Schirmer I test did not improve statistically significantly after 28 days of treatment, although we did observe a significant improvement after 90 days of treatment with 0.03% tacrolimus eye drops. The average break-up time did not improve statistically after 14 days of treatment, although we observed a significant improvement after 28 and 90 days of treatment with 0.03% tacrolimus eye drops.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topical 0.03% tacrolimus eye drops successfully improved tear stability and ocular surface status in patients with dry eyes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (Hospital das Clínicas of da Universidade de São Paulo), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bernardo K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Moscovici
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holzchuh
authors.forename: Brenda B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Chiacchio
authors.forename: Ruth M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Santo
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: Richard Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Hida
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012395:Rose Bengal; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012395:Rose Bengal; D016559:Tacrolimus