TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical evaluation of the Smart Plug™ in the treatment of dry eyes
AU - Kojima, Takashi
AU - Dogru, Murat
AU - Ishida, Reiko
AU - Goto, Eiki
AU - Matsumoto, Yukihiro
AU - Tsubota, Kazuo
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by grants from the Japanese Ministry of Education and Science Tokyo, Japan and Hightech Research Center at Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan.
PY - 2006/2
Y1 - 2006/2
N2 - PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of a thermo sensitive punctum plug, the Smart Plug™, in the treatment of dry eyes. DESIGN: Observational case-series study. METHODS: Eighteen eyes of 10 dry eye patients who previously failed conventional plug insertion were enrolled. Schirmer 1 test, vital staining scores, and tear clearance tests were performed before plug insertion, at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after insertion. RESULTS: Although Schirmer test values were not significantly different before and after plug insertion, the tear clearance rate considerably decreased (Before insertion: 14.8 ± 11.4; After insertion: 8.2 ± 6.6) (P < .05). Rose-Bengal and fluorescein scores improved significantly after plug insertion (Rose-Bengal: Before insertion: 6.4 ± 2.0; After insertion: 3.3 ± 1.6 points, Fluorescein: Before insertion: 4.8 ± 2.3; After insertion: 2.1 ± 1.3) (P < .05). No complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Smart Plug™ proved to be a safe and efficient option in the treatment of dry eye.
AB - PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of a thermo sensitive punctum plug, the Smart Plug™, in the treatment of dry eyes. DESIGN: Observational case-series study. METHODS: Eighteen eyes of 10 dry eye patients who previously failed conventional plug insertion were enrolled. Schirmer 1 test, vital staining scores, and tear clearance tests were performed before plug insertion, at 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after insertion. RESULTS: Although Schirmer test values were not significantly different before and after plug insertion, the tear clearance rate considerably decreased (Before insertion: 14.8 ± 11.4; After insertion: 8.2 ± 6.6) (P < .05). Rose-Bengal and fluorescein scores improved significantly after plug insertion (Rose-Bengal: Before insertion: 6.4 ± 2.0; After insertion: 3.3 ± 1.6 points, Fluorescein: Before insertion: 4.8 ± 2.3; After insertion: 2.1 ± 1.3) (P < .05). No complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Smart Plug™ proved to be a safe and efficient option in the treatment of dry eye.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ajo.2005.08.032
DO - 10.1016/j.ajo.2005.08.032
M3 - Article
C2 - 16458703
AN - SCOPUS:31944437688
SN - 0002-9394
VL - 141
SP - 386
EP - 388
JO - American Journal of Ophthalmology
JF - American Journal of Ophthalmology
IS - 2
ER -