Vitamin B Combo Provides Dry Eye Relief

 

Dry eye symptoms improved significantly following treatment with supplements and artificial tears, study finds.

A new study suggests oral vitamins B1 and mecobalamin, a form of B12, can help relieve symptoms of  dryness, pain and light sensitivity.

“These observations suggest that oral vitamin B1 and mecobalamin can help nourish and repair the corneal nerve layer to some extent, thereby alleviating burning and photophobia,” the study authors concluded in their paper. Of note, oral vitamin B1 and mecobalamin were more effective in men than women, particularly for dryness and photophobia, they wrote.

Ren X, Chou Y, Jiang X, et al. Effects of oral vitamin B1 and mecobalamin on dry eye disease. J Ophthalmol. 2020;2020:9539674. reported in Review of Optometry

Eye Drop for the Treatment of Presbyopia

 Allergan announced that it has submitted a new drug application to the FDA for investigational AGN-190584 (pilocarpine 1.25%) ophthalmic solution for the treatment of presbyopia. The FDA is expected to act on the NDA by the end of 2021.

If approved, this is expected to be the first eye drop for the treatment of presbyopia by the FDA. The most common treatment emergent non-serious adverse events occurring at a frequency of ≥5% in AGN-190584 treated participants were headache and conjunctival hyperemia.

AGN-190584 is an investigational optimized formulation of pilocarpine, a cholinergic muscarinic receptor agonist, which activates the iris sphincter muscle and ciliary muscle. The proposed mechanism of action is through constricting the pupil to enhance the depth of focus. AGN-190584 also contracts the ciliary muscle, facilitating accommodation. 

High-dose Sex Steroids Improve Tear Parameters

 Upon examining the effects of exposure to high-dose sex steroid hormones, researchers recently observed impro­vement in tear function test results following the use of estradiol. They noted that the use of estradiol during menopause could improve dry eye symptoms in patients.

Reported in Review of Optometry

Nerve Growth Factor Promotes Post-LASIK Success

Corneal nerves are sometimes cut when the flap is made during LASIK. Fortunately, treatment with a nerve growth factor (NGF) has demonstrated the ability to both stimulate corneal nerve regeneration and potentially treat dry eye, a common postoperative complication of LASIK. Researchers recently studied its effects and found that NGF had “an obvious effect” on nerve repair and a potential for improvement of dry eye symptoms.

The researchers concluded that topically administered NGF promoted corneal sensitivity, nerve regeneration and improved dry eye symptoms after LASIK.

Gong Q, Zhang S, Jiang L, et al. The effect of nerve growth factor on corneal nerve regeneration and dry eye after LASIK. Exp Eye Res 2021;203:108428.

Reported in Review of Optometry

Lubricant Targets Digital Eyestrain

 

Allergan’s latest Refresh product combats the effects of reduced blink rate.

Allergan, which recently launch a topical lubricant called Refresh Digital to combat digital eyestrain.  Americans spend about 13 hours per day on some type of digital device, and this tends to reduce blink rates by as much as half. The result: some combination of dryness, burning, irritation and discomfort.

Many people have simply learned to live with this experience, thinking it’s an inevitable consequence of digital technology. Allergan believes they could get relief from Refresh Digital, which it says is formulated to specifically relieve dryness and irritation that may occur from excessive screen time. It contains a glycerin-based solution intended to enable hydration and maintain the volume of cells on the ocular surface. Allergan calls this HydroCell and says it supports all three layers of the tear film to keep eyes hydrated. 

Refresh Digital is available in both preserved, multidose bottles and preservative-free, single-use vials. For more information, visit www.refreshbrand.com.