The Effect of Artificial Tears on Corneal Higher Order Aberrations in Dry Eye Patients

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the effects of artificial tears on corneal higher order aberrations in dry eye patients. Materials and Methods: 30 right eyes of 30 newly diagnosed dry eye patients were evaluated in this prospective study. After routine ophthalmological examination, Schirmer test and tear break-up time (TBUT) test were performed in all patients. Anterior corneal aberrations were derived from conversion of the corneal elevation profile into corneal wavefront data with 6.0 mm pupil diameter using Zernike polynomails by corneal topography before and 5 minutes after instillation of artificial tear (Eyestil®). Corneal optical aberrations were compared before and after instillation of eyedrop. Results: The study included 17 women and 13 men; the average age of the patients was 44.36±13.22 years. Mean TBUT was 4.78±2.78 seconds and mean Schirmer value was 3.58±2.45 mm/5 minutes. After instillation of artificial tear, significant reductions in corneal total aberration from 1.120±0.35 µm to 0.960±0.34 µm, higher order aberration from 0.674±0.26 µm to 0.464±0.18 µm, coma-like aberration from 0.283±0.10 µm to 0.238±0.09 µm, and spherical-like aberration from 0.254±0.11 µm to 0.221±0.08 µm were detected (all, p<0.001). After eyedrop instillation, statistically significant increment was observed in Strehl ratio (p<0.001). Conclusion: As well as reducing the dry eye symptoms, artificial tears also cause increment in optical quality of the eye. Benefits of artificial tears on visual quality can be evaluated objectively via corneal wavefront aberrations. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2014; 44: 119-22)

Keywords

• Dry eye
• corneal topography
• corneal aberrations