Artificial tears after LASIK improve visual outcomes
June 10, 2009
Dry eye is common after LASIK surgery. The condition is usually temporary, but it can persist for weeks or even months. In addition to being uncomfortable, post-LASIK dry eye can affect vision, causing blur and fluctuating vision.
Treating dry eye after LASIK
In a recent issue of EyeWorld, refractive surgeon Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, notes that using a high quality, long-lasting artificial tear before and after LASIK is an important component to successful surgical outcomes.
Dr. McDonald, who also is a clinical professor of ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine, recommends a product called Blink Tears (Abbott Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA). The unique formula of Blink Tears, combined with its mechanism of action ensures the lubricating drop spreads out quickly on the eye to stabilize the eye's tear film and provides a smooth optical surface, she says.
Maintaining a smooth, well-lubricated eye surface is important in reducing visual fluctuations as the cornea heals after surgery, according to Dr. McDonald.
She also likes Blink Tears because it is preserved with a gentle agent called OcuPure, which dissipates quickly once the drop is applied to the eye. This reduces concerns about toxicity reactions that can be caused by preservatives in other eye drops, and the multi-dose packaging of Blink Tears is more economical than single-use, preservative-free lubricating eye drops, she says.
Studies show benefits of artificial tears after LASIK
Dr. McDonald and other researchers are currently evaluating the effectiveness of Blink Tears compared to Systane (Alcon, Fort Worth, TX), a leading brand of artificial tears used to treat post-LASIK dry eye.
Preliminary results of the study, still in progress, suggest Blink Tears may significantly reduce overall higher-order aberrations (HOAs) compared to Systane eye drops, and thereby improve visual outcomes.
Blink Tears appears to improve comfort and vision better than other artificial tears evaluated in the study, significantly reduces clinical signs of dry eye and helps tears stay on the eye longer, according to Dr. McDonald.
In a separate study conducted by Dr. McDonald and colleagues Eric Donnenfeld, MD, and Stephen Klyce, PhD, Blink Tears was shown to be superior to Systane eye drops at reducing HOAs and provided better visual acuity after the drops were applied to the eye.
Treating dry eye before and after LASIK with aggressive use of artificial tears can prevent or reduce post-surgical dry eye problems and help refractive surgery patients achieve the best possible visual outcomes, concluded Dr. McDonald.