by Joel Harrison
20. August 2010 10:30
Because some eye drops that are used to treat dry eyes are not compatible with contact lens wear, it is usually recommended that contact lens wearers users should only use solutions suggested by their doctors or optometrists.
However, a recent study carried out by Allergan has discovered that one of the company’s artificial tears products worked better as a contact lens lubricant than their rewetting drops. The three-month study included 245 subjects, some of whom used the artificial tears product (Refresh Optive) and some used the rewetting drops (Refresh Contacts). At the end of the study, 53.2% of the subjects who used Refresh Optive declared improved comfort, compared with 34.2% of those who used Refresh Contacts.
In spite of the results of the study, contact lens wearers are advised to wait before switching to artificial tears products, as all such drops must receive official approval for use in conjunction with contact lenses.
Allergan is currently working on new rewetting drops that will use a formula similar to the one applied in the production of Refresh Optive.