The clinical effects of non-heating moisture chamber glasses in the treatment of dry eye

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of moisture chamber glasses in the treatment of dry eye.Methods This was a self-controlled clinical study.Fifty-six outpatients with mild to moderate dry eye were enrolled from November 2012 to June 2013.Symptoms were evaluated with a dry eye questionnaire,the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire,blink frequency,conjunctival hyperemia,corneal fluorescein staining,Schirmer Ⅰ test (SIT),and tear film break-up time (BUT).The same examinations were performed after 1 week of treatment with moisture chamber glasses.Self-controlled paired t tests or rank sum tests were used for statistical analysis of the data before and after treatment.The correlation between the ocular surface protection index (OPI) and corneal fluorescein staining was analyzed by a rank correlation test.Results After one week of treatment with moisture chamber glasses,symptoms of dry eye had improved significantly based on lower scores on the dry eye questionnaire (Z=-5.084,P＜0.01) and the OSDI questionnaire (Z=-5.149,P＜0.01).Meanwhile,blink frequency reduced (t=6.430,P＜0.01),palpebral conjunctival hyperemia (Z=-4.185,P＜0.01) and bulbar conjunctival hyperemia (Z=-2.598,P＜0.01) were alleviated,and the corneal staining score (Z=-5.001,P＜0.01) and the signs score (Z=-5.288,P＜0.01) were significantly reduced.In addition,moisture chamber glasses resulted in a longer BUT (t=7.416,P＜0.01) and higher OPI (Z=-5.622,P＜0.01); OPI was positively correlated with corneal fluorescein staining (r=-0.445,P＜0.01).Conclusion Moisture chamber glasses can effectively improve subjective symptoms in mild to moderate dry eye patients as well as stabilize tear film and alleviate clinical signs.It holds great potential in the treatment of dry eye. Key words: Xerophthalmia; Moisture chamber glasses; Symptoms & signs; Treatment outcome