New Eye Drop May Help with Dry Eyes: Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution for Dry Eyes: Approved in Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan but not in USA

This recent paper shows Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution helped patients with dry eyes who have foreign body sensation. I cannot tell from the abstract if the authors have a vested interest in the company and my Johns Hopkins account is not letting me access the full article. Will have to wait till I get a copy of Cornea for 2017.

It is not FDA approved likely because it has not met benchmarks of improvement over placebo or some other reason.

Sandra Lora Cremers, MD, FACS

Cornea. 2017 May 23. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000001241. [Epub ahead of print]

Effects of Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution on Quality of Life in Dry Eye Assessed Using the Dry Eye-Related Quality-of-Life Score Questionnaire: Effectiveness in Patients While Reading and Using Visual Display Terminals.

Utsunomiya T1, Kawahara A, Hanada K, Yoshida A.

Author information

1

*Department of Ophthalmology, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan; †Takayanagi Clinic, Kushiro, Japan; and ‡Department of Medicine and Engineering Combined Research Institute, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Diquafosol ophthalmic solution improves objective findings in the ocular surface and subjective symptoms in patients with dry eye. The Dry Eye-Related Quality-of-Life Score (DEQS) questionnaire was developed to assess dry eye symptoms and their effects on quality of life. However, because little research using the DEQS has been reported, we evaluated the effects of diquafosol ophthalmic solution on ocular surface findings and quality of life using the DEQS in patients with dry eye.

METHODS:

Sixty-three patients with dry eye were assigned to the control group (artificial tears) or diquafosol group. Both groups instilled 1 drop of the solution in both eyes 6 times daily and were evaluated after 2 weeks; the diquafosol group also was instructed to be examined at 1 and 3 months. We evaluated the subjective symptoms using the DEQS, fluorescein staining score, tear film breakup time (BUT), Schirmer testing, and lower tear meniscus height with anterior-segment optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS:

In the diquafosol group, the fluorescein staining score, BUT, tear meniscus height, and DEQS scores improved significantly compared with before treatment in contrast to the control group. Furthermore, in the diquafosol group, the staining score and BUT improved significantly compared with the control group. Analysis of each DEQS item indicated that diquafosol ophthalmic solution relieved foreign body sensation and problems when reading and using visual display terminals compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS:

Diquafosol ophthalmic solution was effective in patients with dry eye, especially those with foreign body sensation and problems when reading and using visual display terminals.

http://www.santen.com/en/therapeutic-areas/asia/dryeye/diquas/