title: The Effect of Tear Supplementation with 0.15% Preservative-Free Zinc-Hyaluronate on Ocular Surface Sensations in Patients with Dry Eye.
abstract: To evaluate the effect of tear supplementation with preservative free 0.15% zinc-hyaluronate on ocular surface sensations and corneal sensitivity in dry eye patients.
  
  
  
  Ocular surface sensations were assessed using the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire and by recording ocular sensations during forced blinking in parallel with noninvasive tear film breakup time measurement in 20 eyes of 20 dry eye patients. Corneal sensitivity thresholds to selective stimulation of corneal mechano-, thermal- and chemical receptors were measured using the Belmonte gas esthesiometer. All baseline measurements were repeated after 1 month of treatment with 0.15% zinc-hyaluronate.
  
  
  
  After 1 month, a significant decrease in mean OSDI score (from 35.66 ± 12.36 to 15.03 ± 11.22; P < 0.001) and a significant improvement in tear film breakup time (from 3.83 ± 0.80 to 8.67 ± 4.50 s; P < 0.001) was observed compared to baseline. Sensory responses during the interblink period also significantly decreased after 1 month (P < 0.004). Corneal sensitivity thresholds to mechanical stimulation (90.61 ± 20.35 vs. 103.92 ± 17.97 mL/min; P < 0.025) and chemical stimulation (33.21 ± 0.51 vs. 33.58% ± 0.44% CO2; P < 0.025) significantly increased after 1 month, however sensitivity thresholds to thermal stimulation remained unchanged compared to baseline (P > 0.05).
  
  
  
  Prolonged use of 0.15% zinc-hyaluronate results in an improvement of tear film stability and a decrease of dry eye complaints. The decrease in corneal mechano-and polymodal receptor excitability suggests that zinc-hyaluronate helps to recover normal corneal sensitivity, and thus might have a beneficial additional effect on reducing ocular surface complaints in dry eye patients.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Kristóf
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perényi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Lóránt
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dienes
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kornafeld
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Ophthalmology, Kaposi Mor Hospital , Kaposvár, Hungary .
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Huba J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szepessy
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Zoltán Z
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Árpád
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Barsi
authors.affiliation: 4 Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC , San Juan de Alicante, Spain .
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.affiliation: 4 Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernandez-CSIC , San Juan de Alicante, Spain .
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gallar
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University , Budapest, Hungary .
authors.forename: Illés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kovács
mesh_terms: D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: dry eye; hyaluronate; tear supplementation