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Jennifer S Fogt,1 Nick Fogt,1 P Ewen King-Smith,1 Haixia Liu,2 Joseph T Barr1 1Ohio State University College of Optometry, Columbus, OH, USA; 2Allergan Plc, Irvine, CA, USACorrespondence: Jennifer S FogtThe Ohio State University College of Optometry, 338 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210-1280, USATel +1 614-292-0882Email Fogt.78@osu.eduPurpose: To determine if an eye drop containing omega-3 fatty acids (Refresh Optive MEGA-3®, Allergan plc, Dublin, Ireland) increases the lipid layer thickness (LLT) of the tear film versus a non-emollient eye drop (Refresh Optive, Allergan plc).Methods: Patients (≥30 years) with baseline LLT ≤75 nm completed the Current Symptoms Survey (CSS – a visual analog survey of dry eye symptoms), and LLT was measured pre- and post-instillation (15 and 60 mins) of their randomly assigned treatment. After washout, patients were tested with the other treatment. Primary endpoint: change in LLT from baseline. Secondary endpoint: CSS results.Results: Of 21 patients enrolled, 19 completed the study. With the omega-3–containing eye drop, the mean (standard deviation) LLT increase from baseline at 15 mins was statistically significant in the overall field (8.8 [11.5] nm; P<0.001), and in each individual zone (superior, central, and inferior). At 1 hr, the LLT change from baseline was statistically significant overall (4.4 [9.7] nm; P<0.02) and in the inferior and central zones. With the aqueous eye drop, LLT change from baseline was only significant at 15 mins in the inferior field. The CSS analysis revealed a ≥8.68-unit decrease in mean average dryness score from baseline at 15 and 60 mins post-instillation of the lipid-based treatment (P≤0.03).Conclusion: The eye drop containing omega-3 fatty acids increased LLT at 15 mins, maintaining it at 1 hr post-instillation. Dryness symptoms also improved and maintained improved levels 1 hr after instillation, indicating that the product

Jennifer S Fogt, Lisa A Jones-Jordan, Joseph T Barr The Ohio State University College of Optometry, Columbus, OH, USA Introduction: New designs of eye wash stations have been developed in which the direction of water flow from the fountain has been reversed, with two water streams originating nasally in both eyes and flowing toward the temporal side of each eye. No study has been done to determine the ideal direction of water flow coming from the eye wash in relation to the eye. Materials and methods: Ophthalmic eye examinations were conducted before and after the use of two eye wash stations with opposite water flow directionality. Fluorescein was instilled in both eyes before using an eye wash to measure the effectiveness of the water flow. Subjects were surveyed upon their experiences using the eye washes. Conclusion: Ophthalmic examination found no significant difference in the efficacy of the eye washes with nasal-to-temporal water flow when compared to temporal-to-nasal water flow direction. Keywords: eye wash, ocular burn, cornea, water flow

Carolyn M Kalsow,1 William T Reindel,2 Mohinder M Merchea,2 Kirk M Bateman,2,3 Joseph T Barr21Ocular Research Services, Mendon, NY, USA; 2Bausch and Lomb, Inc, Rochester, NY, USA; 3Statistics and Data Corporation, Tempe, AZ, USAPurpose: An increased risk of corneal infiltrative events has been noted with the use of certain contact lenses and multipurpose solutions (MPS). This study was designed to evaluate tear cytokine assay as a sensitive, objective, and quantitative measure of the ocular surface response to contact lens/MPS and to consider the assay's clinical relevance in the context of other measures of ocular surface response.Methods: Two MPS, ReNu® Fresh™ (RNF) and Opti-Free® RepleniSH (OFR), were used with daily wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses in a randomized, prospective crossover study involving 26 subjects. Clinical data collection (conjunctival hyperemia, ocular surface sensitivity, solution induced corneal staining (SICS) test score, and subjective responses) and tear cytokine assays were conducted masked. Responses were tracked as change from baseline throughout the experimental schedule.Results: Similar response patterns for several inflammatory cytokines were seen throughout both phases: subjects who received OFR in Phase I had mean tear concentrations that were generally higher than those of the RNF Phase I group. OFR Phase I subjects had significant (P < 0.01) increases over baseline at day 1 and/or following washout for 13 cytokines (cc chemokine ligands [CCL] 3, CCL5, CCL11, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF], interferon [INF]-γ, interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α). These changes were not observed in RNF Phase I subjects, even though SICS test scores increased. Phase I OFR subjects also had increased dryness, while RNF Phase I subjects had decreased bulbar hyperemia. No changes were detected with respect

Marjorie J Rah,1 Jeffery Schafer,1 Lening Zhang,1 Osbert Chan,2 Lipika Roy,3 Joseph T Barr11Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Rochester, NY, USA; 2Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Asia Pacific Medical Affairs, Hong Kong; 3Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Asia Pacific Medical Affairs, Singapore, MalaysiaBackground: Concerns regarding the safety of cosmetically tinted contact lenses have been reported in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the safety of cosmetically tinted contact lenses in a large number of patients across six clinical trials that varied from 1 week to 3 months in duration.Methods: Lenses tested included: Naturelle limbal ring daily disposable, Lacelle limbal ring daily disposable, Lacelle colored cosmetic daily disposable, Lacelle limbal ring planned replacement at 2 weeks, and Alamode traditional/annual colored cosmetic lens. The primary safety outcome was slit-lamp examination, including epithelial edema, epithelial microcysts, corneal staining, bulbar injection, limbal injection, upper lid tarsal conjunctival abnormalities, corneal neovascularization, and corneal infiltrates. High contrast logMAR visual acuity with lenses, and lens wearing time, movement, and centration, are also presented.Results: A total of 871 subjects (1,742 eyes) and 23 clinical investigators participated in the six studies, with an average completion rate of 96.4% across all studies. The mean age of the patients was 26.8 ± 6.6 years, and 86.7% of participants were female. The total number of slit-lamp examinations across the six studies was 2,456 visits by eye (1,228 visits by patient). There were no slit-lamp signs > grade 2 for any finding, with the exception of corneal staining in one study. In this study, grade 3 corneal staining was noted in one eye (0.1%) at follow-up visit 1 and four (0.6%) of all eligible dispensed eyes at follow-up visit 2, with no eyes requiring medical treatment. No adverse events were reported durin