Pain response to commonly used diagnostic eye drops may serve as a useful clinical indicator for the presence and severity of dry eye syndrome, according to a study.
The prospective study included 33 patients undergoing routine eye exams.
Each eye received either oxybuprocaine or tropicamide drops, with pain intensity and duration measured immediately afterward. Patients with dry eye syndrome reported significantly longer and more intense pain, especially those with severe disease.
Pain duration also correlated with corneal staining, while pain intensity in oxybuprocaine-treated eyes was linked to reduced tear function. In tropicamide-treated eyes, greater pain was associated with functional limitations.
The findings suggest that assessing pain response to diagnostic drops could serve as a simple, supplementary tool for detecting dry eye and guiding further evaluation and treatment.
Reference
Rock O, Safir M, Mimouni M, et al. Diagnostic Eye Drops and Pain Sensitivity: A Marker for Dry Eye Syndrome? Cornea. 2025;doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000003893. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40359303.
Related Content
