title: Comparison of hyaluronic acid-containing topical eye drops with carbomer-based topical ocular gel as a tear replacement in canine keratoconjunctivitis sicca: A prospective study in twenty five dogs.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a hyaluronic acid containing eye drop in ameliorating ocular surface pathology and discomfort in canine keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). Twenty five dogs with KCS treated with a topical carbomer (CA)-based tear replacement gel were moved to treatment with a hyaluronic acid (HA)-containing tear replacement eye drop. Dogs were subject to a full ophthalmic examination at the beginning of the study and after two and four weeks of treatment, Schirmer tear tests (STTs) were performed at each examination. Conjunctival hyperemia, ocular discharge and ocular irritation were evaluated and scored on a 0-3 semi-quantitative scale. Values were compared before and after 4 weeks of treatment using a paired t-test. Evaluation scores were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The transfer from CA-based to HA-containing tear replacement significantly decreased the conjunctival hyperemia score from 2.12 ± 0.73 to 1.26 ± 0.59 and ocular discomfort was lowered from 2.11 ± 0.97 to 0.93 ± 0.75. Ocular discharge was reduced from a score of 1.04 ± 0.82 to 0.70 ± 0.53, however, the decrease did not reach statistical significance. Schirmer tear test was increased with statistical significance (p < 0.001) but given that the increase was only from 5.42 ± 3.50 to 6.19 ± 3.86 mm min(-1); this was not considered clinically significant. This study demonstrated that HA-containing eye drops used twice daily in dogs with KCS had greater ameliorative effects on ocular surface health and discomfort than did CA-based topical gels used as or more frequently.
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, England;
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Williams
authors: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, England;
authors: Sheldon
authors: S
authors: Middleton
authors: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Specialized Veterinary Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hamidreza
authors: H
authors: Fattahian
authors: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Specialized Veterinary Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Roozbeh
authors: R
authors: Moridpour
keywords: Dog; Eye; Keratoconjunctivitis sicca; Ocular surface; Tear replacement
references: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1988 Feb;29(2):194-9
references: 3338879
references: Arch Ophthalmol. 1989 Aug;107(8):1210-6
references: 2757551
references: Adv Exp Med Biol. 1994;350:459-64
references: 8030519
references: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1992 May;33(6):2006-11
references: 1582805
references: Optom Vis Sci. 2008 Aug;85(8):750-7
references: 18677239
references: Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2008 Aug;36(6):553-9
references: 18954319
references: Br J Ophthalmol. 1987 Sep;71(9):645-6
references: 3663557
references: Cytometry A. 2003 May;53(1):1-8
references: 12701127
references: J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2009 Apr;25(2):113-9
references: 19284328
references: Mol Vis. 2009;15:577-83
references: 19325714
references: J Biomed Mater Res A. 2010 Mar 15;92(4):1421-30
references: 19358259
references: Am J Ophthalmol. 1998 Mar;125(3):386-8
references: 9512158
references: Prog Retin Eye Res. 2010 Jul;29(4):312-34
references: 20302969