The Effect of Artificial Tear Preparations with Three Different Ingredients on Contrast Sensitivity in Patients with Dry Eye Syndrome

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Artificial Tear Preparations (ATP) with three different ingredients on contrast sensitivity in patients with dry eye syndrome. Contrast sensitivity measurements were obtained before and 5, 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes after administering three different ATPs, containing dextran 70, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (ATP-1), polyvinyl alcohol-povidone (ATP-2) and carbomer (ATP-3) to one eye of 20 patients with dry eye syndrome, who had been divided to three groups. Contrast sensitivity measurements were obtained at 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 18 spatial frequencies (cpd). Compared with the baseline measurements, ATP-1 provided a significant increase of 1.5 and 3 cpd at the 15th minute, 12 cpd at the 60th minute, and 18 cpd at the 30th minute, ATP-2 significantly increased contrast sensitivity compared with the baseline at the 15th, 30th, 60th, and 90th minute measurements, recorded as 1.5, 3, 12, and 18 cpd, and ATP-3 provided significant increases of 18 cpd at 60th and 90th minute measurements compared with the baseline. In conclusion, while ATP-2 increased the majority of contrast sensitivity measurements both at early, mid, and late terms, the ATP-1 and ATP-3 were found to be effective on mid-term and late-term contrast sensitivity measurements, respectively.