Effects of osmoprotective eye drops on tear osmolarity in contact lens wearers

To evaluate the impact of osmoprotective eye drops on tear osmolarity and patient comfort, and to compare its efficacy with a commercially available lubricant in contact lens (CL) wearers.

Prospective, cross-sectional study.

Forty eyes of 20 first-time CL wearers were included.

Tear osmolarity measurements using TearLab osmolarity system were performed in each eye of subjects at 8 am, and 2, 4, and 8 h after that on the first and second days, and at 12:00 on the third day and eighth days. On the second day and afterward, all eyes were fitted Purevision 2 (Bausch & Lomb) soft CLs. Subjects instilled Optive (Allergan) osmoprotective eye drops into their 1 eye (group 1) and Refresh tears (Allergan) eye drops into their other eyes (group 2) after 2 hours of CL wear on the third day and afterward. Ocular comfort with eye drops was also assessed.

There were no significant differences between the tear osmolarity measurements of the groups on the first day. On the second day, osmolarity significantly increased from baseline after 4 h of CL wear (p < 0.05) but returned to baseline after 8 h of CL wear (p > 0.05) in both groups. Tear osmolarity measurements of group 1 were significantly lower than those of group 2 on the third and eighth days (both p < 0.05). The mean comfort scores were significantly higher in group 1.

Tear osmolarity increases within the first hours of CL wear, and instillation of osmoprotective eye drops prevents this increment in patients wearing CLs.