Spotlight ON TECHNOLOGY & TECHNIQUE

A Long-lasting Lubricating Eye Drop

By Leslie Goldberg, Associate Editor

Oasis Tears (Oasis Medical, Inc., Glendora, Calif.) are glycerin-based lubricant eye drops that coat and moisten delicate ocular tissue for long-lasting relief of dry eye symptoms.

Physician Feedback

Karl Stonecipher, M.D., director of laser and refractive surgery at TLC Greensboro, N.C., has been using Oasis Tears for over a year. He says that Oasis Tears have significant benefits for the post-LASIK patient who presents with dry eye syndrome. Dr. Stonecipher uses Oasis Tears as a first-line agent or in conjunction with Restasis (Allergan, Irvine, Calif.).

"Post-LASIK dry eye is a significant issue," says Dr. Stonecipher. "I would say 90% of our patients will utilize a dry eye product in the first month after LASIK."

Dr. Stonecipher states that while there are currently products in the pipeline to make more tears, others that are intended to reduce inflammation and still others to deal with hormonal therapy modulation, as far as artificial tear products that are currently available, he thinks that Oasis is a step above other drops.

"This is because the hyaluronan in the drop allows it to stay on the eye much longer," says Dr. Stonecipher. "Additionally, Oasis has added the osmotic agent glycerin so that there is no blur — patients actually see better when they first put the drops in — rather than that initial blurriness. The viscoadaptive nature of Oasis Tears provides patients with vision quality while maintaining ocular surface comfort."

David Schanzlin, M.D., professor of clinical ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego, and director of keratorefractive surgery at the Shiley Eye Center, San Diego, has been using Oasis Tears since they first came out. "At first, I only used this tear in my toughest cases, but when I saw the exceptional results, I started to use it more routinely," he says.

"Oasis Tears seem to prolong tear film break-up time [TFBUT] longer than other drops on the market. Patients tell me that they do not need to use drops as frequently. Over time, I have also noted normalization of the TFBUT if patients use the drops on a routine basis," says Dr. Schanzlin. "About 30% of my non-refractive practice and closer to 70% of the refractive patients have dry eye symptoms and decreased TFBUT."

Dr. Schanzlin recalls the first case in which he used Oasis Tears. "The patient had acute graft-versus-host disease and severe dryness. His Schirmer's were undetectable and there was no measurable TFBUT. I had tried everything to stabilize the tear film and to restore functional vision. I should mention that his BSCVA was 20/300. He had tried several artificial tears on the market in addition to Restasis, punctal plugs and lateral tarsorraphy and nothing was helping."

He had been given a pack of Oasis tears, and within 1 week was seeing 20/200, by 2 weeks he was seeing 20/80 and by 1 month he was at 20/30. "He has maintained that vision for the last 12 months using the tears six times per day," says Dr. Schanzlin.

Mihir Parikh, M.D., of the Advanced Ophthalmology Institute, La Jolla, Calif., started using Oasis Tears on a trial basis in February 2008 and then started increasing use dramatically by April 2008. Dr. Parikh says that he feels the tears are superior to most other over-the-counter eye drops on the market.

Dr. Parikh estimates that 75% of patients have some level of dry eye. About half of them desire or need treatment. "I start them on preservative-free lubricants and then go from there," he says. "Most patients come in frustrated when what they have tried at home or at other doctors' offices has not worked for them. In general, they are not compliant with using lubricating drops multiple times per day because of the drop's lack of portability, the messy application process and, of course, the fact that it often causes temporary visual blur — all for short-term relief."

Dr. Parikh says Oasis Tears increase compliance because of its onceor twice-a-day application, im proved portability and cleaner application. It is also longer lasting and the vision does not blur, he asserts. OM

For more information on Oasis Tears, visit www.oasistears.com.

Dr. Stonecipher is on the Oasis Medical's speaker's bureau. Dr. Schanzlin is a consultant for Oasis Medical and Dr. Parikh has no financial interest in the company.