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Fermavisc Found Effective For Dry Eye

A 0.1% (w/v) solution of sodium hyaluronate, applied topically three or four times a day as needed, appears to be effective for relief of symptoms of dry eye.

The solution also appears to have a protective effect on the corneal epithelium. This is evidenced by a reduction in the level of staining of corneal epithelial cells by rose bengal, say researchers with VitroLife UK Ltd., of Edinburgh, England.

They compared 0.1% solution of sodium hyaluronate (HA, Fermavisc) with a 1.4% (w/v) solution of polyvinyl alcohol in a randomised, crossover, multicentre trial carried out at eight centres in the United Kingdom.

Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in the study; of these, 32 completed it. They were randomised to one of the treatment arms for four weeks, then crossed over to the other study product. Burning and grittiness were assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) at each study visit and other objective clinical assessments of ocular structure and function were carried out at baseline and the end of each treatment period.

After treatment with HA, patients' VAS score for burning was significantly improved (P = 0.03), and the rose bengal staining score was significantly lower (P = 0.04).

"This study confirms that Fermavisc is a safe and effective product for use in the alleviation of symptoms of severe dry eye syndrome," the researchers conclude.
Eye 2002 Sep;16(5):601-7. "A randomised, crossover, multicentre study to compare the performance of 0.1% (w/v) sodium hyaluronate with 1.4% (w/v) polyvinyl alcohol in the alleviation of symptoms associated with dry eye syndrome."

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