GLA-based supplement helps reduce dry eye

The study was presented by Dr Frank Bucci at the 2003 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) meeting this week.

The results show that subjects with dry eyes who took supplements of HydroEye, prior to undergoing the LASIK procedure, experienced increased levels of lactoferrin. Lactoferrin, a protective protein found in tears, is widely accepted as an indicator of ocular surface health. Decreased levels of lactoferrin are indicative of dry eye, which can often lead to complications post-LASIK and lengthen recovery time.

Dr Bucci evaluated the effects of pre-treatment with HydroEye in 40 patients undergoing bilateral LASIK. Twenty patients with a history of dry eye were assigned to take the recommended dose of HydroEye for one month before surgery, continuing for a month post-operatively. The remaining 20 patients, age-matched but with no prior history of dry eye, served as controls.

Tear lactoferrin levels were measured at baseline, on the day of the procedure, and at one day and one month after surgery. At the beginning of the study, the treated group had a higher incidence of ocular surface disease and a lower lactoferrin level than the control group.

In the treated patients, mean lactoferrin increased a significant 32 per cent during the pre-treatment period, becoming significantly higher (mean 24 per cent) than the control group by the day of surgery. Lactoferrin levels dropped one day post-op in both groups.

However, the post-surgery decrease was less marked in the treated compared to untreated patients (.88 v .77 ng/ml respectively), with lactoferrin levels still 12 per cent higher in those taking HydroEye. Lactoferrin rose in both groups during the month following surgery, with levels remaining slightly above baseline measurements in the treated group, reported ScienceBased Health.

This findings are thought to be a result of the anti-inflammatory properties of GLA, derived from blackcurrant seed oil in the HydroEye supplement.