Increase of the oxidative stress status in the conjunctiva of SS patients appears to have a role in the pathogenesis of dry eye disease. A close relationship may exist between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation related membrane damage, and inflammatory processes in dry eye.

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We investigated the effect of 0.05% topical cyclosporine (Cys) on the ocular surface and tear functions in dry eye patients with chronic GVHD (cGVHD) in a prospective comparative study. Thirty eyes of 15 patients refractory to baseline treatment were recruited and the patients assigned for topical Cys treatment group (14 eyes of 7 patients) and control group (12 eyes of 6 patients) respectively. Two patients dropped out because of intolerable irritation while using topical Cys eye drops. Visual analog scale symptom scores, corneal sensitivity, Schirmer I test value, tear film break-up time (TBUT), tear evaporation rate and ocular surface vital staining scores were recorded at baseline and at the end of the following one month. Conjunctival impression and brush cytology were performed before and after the treatment. After topical Cys treatment, significant improvements were found in symptom scores, corneal sensitivity, tear evaporation rate, TBUT, vital staining scores, goblet cells density, conjunctival squamous metaplasia grade, inflammatory cell numbers and the MUC5AC expression. Our study suggests that 0.05% topical Cys may be an effective treatment for dry eye patients with cGVHD. The improvements in the ocular surface and tear functions resulted presumably from the decreased inflammation, increased goblet cell density and MUC5AC mRNA expression.

Abstract:A low-concentration hydrogen peroxide solution containing titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst has attracted attention as a safe office bleaching agent. In this study, the influence of different kinds of light on the bleaching effect of this agent was examined. The bleaching agent was applied to hematoporphyrinstained paper strips that were then irradiated with a 405-nm diode laser (800 mW/cm 2 ), a halogen lamp (720 mW/cm 2 ), or an LED (835 mW/cm 2 ) for 5 minutes. The color was measured spectrophotometrically before treatment and every 30 seconds thereafter, and the effects of bleaching on the strip were assessed using the CIE 1976 L * a * b * color coordinate system. Of the three different irradiation conditions, 405-nm laser irradiation gave the strongest bleaching effect with 3.5% hydrogen peroxide containing titanium dioxide. The laser provides strong irradiance at 405 nm, which corresponds to the absorption range of the bleaching agent, and consequently the largest effect was obtained.