Page 20 - The Indian Optician Digital Edition July-August 2021
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GENETIC STUDY HONEY EYE DROPS FOR DRY EYE
DISCOVERS
50 NEW EYE Manuka honey eye drops have been found to be effective in the
COLOUR GENES treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction which leads to dry eye.
A new research study, titled the Standard Patient Evaluation of
Eye Dryness (SPEED) was done by assigning 59 dry eye patients
The genetics of human eye with either regular lubricating eye drops or Optimel 16% manuka
colour is much more complex honey eye-drops. The SPEED was measured in each patient at the
than hitherto envisaged, start of the trial and at a follow up appointment three weeks later.
according to a new study According to the report published in the British Journal of
published in Science Advances.
Ophthalmology, different ocular surface parameters were graded
An international team of during a slit lamp examination. Three weeks later, the researchers
researchers led by King’s College noted that those treated with conventional drops showed
London and Erasmus University minimal difference in SPEED score, while patients who received
Medical Center Rotterdam Optimel drops had a noticeable difference in SPEED score. The
have identified 50 new genes Optimel group also showed improvements in lid margin redness,
for eye colour in what is conjunctival redness, corneal surface stain, and meibum quality
considered to be the largest and expressibility.
study of its kind till date. The The researchers thus concluded that the manuka honey eye
study encompassed the genetic drops offered a good option for treating patients with meibomian
analysis of nearly 195,000 people gland dysfunction.
across Europe and Asia.
Co-senior author Dr Pirro
Hysi, King’s College London,
shared that the findings are
exciting because they represent POOR EYE HEALTH LINKED TO
progress in understanding
the genes that cause one of HIGHER MORTALITY RISK
“the most striking features”
on human faces. He said: “The A new international report by the Lancet Global Health
findings will improve our Commission on Global Eye Health reveals that around 1.1 billion
understanding of many diseases people experience sight loss due to lack of access to eye care
such as pigmentary glaucoma services. The report further states that 90% of sight loss could be
and ocular albinism, that we avoided and that people with poor eye health have a 2.6 times
know are associated with higher risk of mortality than those without sight loss.
specific pigmentation levels.”
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness chief
Dr Manfred Kayser, Erasmus executive, Peter Holland, described the research as a “landmark
University Medical Center report.” He says, “It cannot be right that so many people in
Rotterdam, co-senior author our world go without access to eye care when the majority of
said: “This study delivers the treatments are affordable and have been around for many years.”
genetic knowledge needed to
improve eye colour prediction “The Lancet Global Commission on Global Eye Health proves
from DNA as already applied once and for all that good quality eye care has a vital effect
in anthropological and forensic on people’s everyday lives, enabling children to benefit from
studies, but with limited education, ensuring working adults keep their jobs and that
accuracy for the non-brown and older people can participate in their families and communities,”
non-blue eye colours.” Mr Holland added.
| JULY-AUGUST 2021 | 16 OPTOMETRY NEWS
