Ocular Surface Failure in Urban Syndrome

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Environmental Health
• Occupational Medicine

Background:

• Rising air pollution contributes to urban syndrome (US), characterized by ocular surface inflammation and discomfort.
• US negatively impacts occupational health and productivity due to chronic low-grade ocular inflammation.
• Investigating novel treatments for pollutant-induced ocular surface disease is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of topical glycerophosphoinositol (GPI) eye drops in managing urban syndrome (US).
• To assess the impact of GPI treatment on ocular surface parameters and symptoms in US patients.
• To determine the safety and tolerability of GPI eye drops for US management.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter prospective open interventional study involving 113 patients with US.
• Treatment involved thrice-daily instillation of 0.001% GPI in 0.2% hyaluronic acid (HA) vehicle.
• Ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear break-up time (T-BUT), Schirmer test, and symptom scores were assessed.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in OSDI scores was observed within one week of GPI treatment (p < 0.0001).
• Progressive improvements in tear break-up time (T-BUT) and Schirmer test results were noted from baseline to one month (p < 0.0001).
• The treatment demonstrated significant reduction in ocular discomfort and inflammation markers.

Conclusions:

• Topical 0.001% GPI in 0.02% HA vehicle is an effective treatment for urban syndrome (US).
• The eye drops demonstrated good tolerability in patients suffering from pollutant-induced ocular surface inflammation.
• GPI treatment offers a promising therapeutic option for improving ocular health in urban environments.