Comparative study of lubricating properties of tear substitutes Systane® Ultra and Visine® Clear Tears

Abstract

Purpose: To compare tear substitutive properties of Systane® Ultra and Visine® Clear Tears in dry eye therapy.Methods: 20 patients with dry eye due to chronic blepharoconjunctivitis and 20 patients with neurotrophic dry eye following corneal refractive surgery were examined. Treatment schedule was the following: in the first 7 days, Systane® Ultra was instilled in the right eye and Visine® Clear Tears was instilled in the left eye, while from day 8 to day 30, only one medicine selected by the patient was applied. Their efficacy was measured by tear film stability and patients’ subjective sensations.Results: Norn test results improved to day 7 in patients with dry eye following corneal refractive surgery and to day 30 in patients with dry eye due to blepharoconjunctivitis regardless of eye drops used. As to patients’ comfort, Systane® Ultra is preferable to Visine® Clear Tears.Conclusion: Systane® Ultra is therapeutically similar to but preferable to Visine® Clear Tears due to good tolerability.

Keywords

• dry eye syndrome
• tear substitution therapy
• Systane® Ultra, Visine® Clear Tears