Acupuncture for dry eye syndrome after refractive surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Integrative Medicine
• Surgical Complications

Background:

• Dry eye syndrome is a common complication following refractive surgery.
• Acupuncture is a traditional therapy used to manage dry eye symptoms.
• Existing drawbacks necessitate exploring alternative treatments like acupuncture for post-refractive surgery dry eye.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for treating dry eye syndrome after refractive surgery.
• To assess acupuncture's impact on both the signs and symptoms of post-refractive surgery dry eye.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 40 participants randomly assigned to either acupuncture plus usual care or usual care alone.
• Acupuncture group received treatments at 17 points, thrice weekly for 4 weeks.
• Outcomes measured include Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Tear Film Break-up Time (TBUT), Schirmer-I test, visual analog scale (VAS), and quality of life (QOL) questionnaire.

Main Results:

• This section is to be filled after the study is conducted.

Conclusions:

• This trial is designed to generate preliminary data on the clinical effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for dry eye syndrome post-refractive surgery.