EFFECTIVENESS OF HYALURONAN ON CORNEAL EPITHELIAL BARRIER FUNCTION INDRY EYE

Aims/background-The aim of this study was to assess quantitatively the effectiveness of hyaluronan on corneal disruption in patients with dr y eye. Corneal epithelial barrier function was evaluated by measuring fluorescein permeability using a slit-lamp fluorophotometer. Methods-1 1 patients with dry eye were assigned to this study. Hyaluronan ophtha lmic solution (0.1% hyaluronic acid) was instilled five times a day to the right eye, in addition to the usual artificial tear solutions. Th e left eye received only the artificial tear solutions. Corneal barrie r function was evaluated on the pretreatment day, and at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Fluorophotometry was used to measure fluorescein upt ake at the central and lower corneal portions. Results-Two weeks after treatment, hyaluronan treated right corneas showed significant cornea l epithelial barrier improvement in the lower portion, compared with t he pretreatment day (p<0.025). Four weeks after treatment, the treated corneas showed significant improvement in the central corneal portion (p<0.025) and improvement in the lower portion, compared with the pre treatment day. The untreated left corneas, on the other hand showed no improvement during the course of the study. Conclusion-This study sug gests that hyaluronan is effective in the treatment of corneal epithel ial disruption in dry eye.