Efficacy of Different Treatment Regimens With Chitosan-N- Acetylcysteine in Moderate-to-severe Dry Eye Disease
Eye Diseases
About this trial
This is an interventional supportive care trial for Eye Diseases
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age older than 22 years
- Corneal staining (marked to severe; NEI grading scale >=10)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Usage of eye drops other than lubricants (e.g. antibiotics, steroids, cyclosporin-A)
- Usage of systemic antibiotic therapy
- Any pathology of the ocular surface except dry eye disease (e.g. corneal scarring, cornea ectasia)
- Ocular surgery within prior 3 months to screening
- Preceding refractive corneal surgery (e.g. LASIK)
- Ocular injury within prior 3 months
- Ocular herpes of eye or eyelid within prior 3 months
- Active ocular infection
- Active ocular inflammation or history of chronic, recurrent ocular inflammation within prior 3 months
- Eyelid abnormalities that affect lid function
- Ocular surface abnormality that may compromise corneal integrity
- Pregnancy and nursing women (in women of childbearing age a pregnancy test will be performed before inclusion into the study)
Sites / Locations
- Vienna Institute for Research in Ocular Surgery
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Group 1
Group 2
After enrolment into the study and randomization to the study group (V0) and baseline examinations (V1), patients will receive 1 drop of Lacrimera at the study site and will be instructed to apply one drop of C-NAC into both eyes before bedtime for the following 5 consecutive days and return for a follow-up visit after 7±1 days (V2). Patients will complete a diary describing symptoms during the day, use of Lacrimera and potential side effects until the next visit. If the NEI grading is ≤1 OR the OSDI score <20 at the next visit, treatment with Lacrimera will be discontinued and one further physical follow-up appointment will be arranged, which will take place 28±2 days after the last physical visit.
The study days are conducted in the same way as for the study group. Patients of the control group will receive preservative-free, Hyaluronic-acid containing eyedrops (Hylo-Vision® sine) for 4 times a day as control.