title: A study of the short-term effect of artificial tears on contrast sensitivity in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary Sjögren's syndrome often includes dry eye manifestations, including a reduction in optical quality from the compromised ocular surface. This study was designed to measure the effect of different artificial tears on the contrast sensitivity of Sjögren's syndrome patients from 5 minutes to 4 hours after instillation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten normal subjects and 10 subjects with ocular manifestations of Sjögren's syndrome were compared at baseline, including staining scores, a dry eye questionnaire, and contrast sensitivity testing. Changes in contrast sensitivity in the Sjögren's syndrome group were measured over a 4-hour period after instillation of a variety of artificial tears.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences in staining, subjective questionnaire scores, and contrast sensitivity were measured between the normal and Sjögren's syndrome groups. Statistically significant changes in contrast sensitivity were measured over time after artificial tear instillation, with the greatest effect at 3 to 6 cycles/deg. The more mucoadhesive artificial tears demonstrated a significantly greater effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of artificial tears on measured contrast sensitivity in dry eye patients in the postinstillation period of 5 minutes to 4 hours appear limited, but an artificial tear with more mucoadhesive properties showed more benefit than those that do not. Modest effects on contrast sensitivity, primarily at medium spatial frequencies, were observed with the more mucoadhesive formulations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuqiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Potvin
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011379:Prognosis; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions
keywords: Sjögren's syndrome; contrast sensitivity; dry eye