We conducted a study to evaluate the change of tear secretion and symptoms in the patients with dry eye syndrome after using Restasis® (Cyclosporine 0.05% ophthalmic emulsion, Allergan Inc., U.S.A.).

We randomly selected 39 patients from newly or previously diagnosed dry eye syndrome patients and administered Restasis® to them. We checked their clinical parameters and symptoms over a period of 3 months. The clinical parameters evaluated were type I and type II Schirmer tests and tear break-up time, and the symptoms of dry eye syndrome were classified into pain, itching, foreign body sensation, blurred vision, and photophobia using a scoring scale for symptoms of 0 to 5. The results were analyzed with a Mann-Whitney test ( P -values <0.05 was considered statistically significant).

For 26 of 39 patients (52 eyes) on whom all tests were carried out for 3 months, there was a significant improvement after 3 months in the type I Schirmer test, type II Schirmer test, and tear break-up time ( P =0.012, 0.009, 0.001, respectively). Only 14 patients completed the questionnaire for scoring of symptoms. After using Restasis®, foreign body sensation only improved ( P =0.010).

In our study, tear secretion was increased by Restasis®, and a greater increase in tear secretion was seen in patients with systemic disease than in patients without systemic disease. Additional patients need to be evaluated and longer-term studies need to be performed to confirm our results.