The aim of our study was to evaluate short-term changes in corneal surface status via Keratography in dry eye patients after placement of an absorbable collagen plug (UltraPlug™; Surgical Specialties Corporation, Reading, PA, USA).

Patients (n = 20 eyes, 20 subjects) diagnosed with dry eye were recruited for this prospective, 1-month clinical trial. The lacrimal puncta were blocked using absorbable collagen plugs. We evaluated clinical parameters and symptoms 1 month later. We assessed visual acuity, the score on the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, and keratographic tear meniscus height (TMH) and tear break-up time (TBUT) (K5M; Oculus Optikgerate GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany). We also measured TBUT classically, the corneal fluorescein staining score, and the Schirmer test result.

Significant improvements in the corneal staining and OSDI scores were observed 1 month after treatment ( p = 0.006, p = 0.001, respectively), but no significant differences in the keratographic TMH and TBUT, the classical TBUT, or the Schirmer test data was observed (all p > 0.05).

Blocking of the lacrimal punctum with an absorbable collagen plug effectively improved clinical symptoms and objective indicators in dry eye patients, the corneal staining score and OSDI scores improved significantly. However, no significant improvements in keratographic TMH and TBUT were observed; this was of concern. Longer-term studies with more patients are required.