Effect of Short-Term Oral Vitamin A on Ocular Tear Film in Dry Eye

Purpose: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disease of tears and ocular surface. The tear film is composed of three layers – lipid, aqueous, and mucin. Loss of mucin and goblet cell atrophy due to Vitamin A deficiency contributes to the instability of tear film secondary to mucin abnormality...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jagruti Navalsinhji Jadeja, Vaibhavi Gulabbhai Patel, Tejal Rameshbhai Garasiya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-10-01
Series:Delhi Journal of Ophthalmology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/DLJO.DLJO_126_23
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Purpose: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disease of tears and ocular surface. The tear film is composed of three layers – lipid, aqueous, and mucin. Loss of mucin and goblet cell atrophy due to Vitamin A deficiency contributes to the instability of tear film secondary to mucin abnormality leading to dry eye. Our aim is to study the effect of short-term oral Vitamin A supplementation on tear film in patients with dry eye. Methods: This is a cross-sectional interventional study of 42 patients undertaking treatment at a tertiary health-care center in Western India. A total of 42 patients meeting the dry eye diagnostic criteria were enrolled. After taking informed consent, history, anterior segment examination, tests specific for DED were performed. Patients were graded as per dry eye severity and supplemented with oral Vitamin A as per regimen. All tests were repeated at 1 month and at 3 months. Results: Statistical analysis was done using analysis of variance test to compare the outcome of 3 values, i.e., on presentation, 1 month, and 3 months post supplementation for different DES parameters, and P value was analyzed for each of them. Out of 42 patients, 18 were mild, 16 were moderate, and 8 were severely symptomatic. The mean symptom score improved from 7.95 ± 3.74 to 4.38 ± 2.99 at 3 months whereas Ocular Surface Disease Index score improved from 22.81 ± 7.89 to 17.17 ± 7.39 at 3 months. The mean Schirmer's grade improved from 2.20 ± 0.95 to 1.61 ± 0.74 at 3 months whereas ferning (TF) grade improved from 2.59 ± 0.92 to 1.37 ± 0.77 at 3 months. Conclusion: Oral Vitamin A improves tear ferning due to improved mucin production.
ISSN:0972-0200
2454-2784