MALE HORMONES COULD TREAT MAJORITY OF DRY EYE PATIENTS.Byline: Jane E. Allen Associated Press A majority of the 10 million Americans whose incurable dry eye syndromes dry eye syndrome Conjunctivitis arida, keratitis sicca, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, xerophthalmia Medtalk Dryness of eyes, often due to ↓ tear secretion Clinical Dry, greasy, thickened and focally denuded cornea, which may progress to keratomalacia, corneal make them feel like their eyeballs are rolling around the Sahara Desert might get relief from daily eyedrops of male hormones, research suggests. ``This would be a treatment that could effectively treat 60 percent to 80 percent of all dry eye patients,'' David A. Sullivan, associate professor of ophthalmology at the Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University. It is a prestigious American medical school located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. , said Wednesday. Sullivan's laboratory has found in several animal studies that male sex hormones regulate the tear-producing glands. The animal experiments led to the proposed treatment for a disorder that until now has only been temporarily helped with artificial tears artificial tears A solution containing 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose or 5% polyvinyl alcohol, used to treat dry eye–xerophthalmia, often associated with Sjögren syndrome, which may also be due to sarcoidosis, senile lacrimal gland atrophy, acute or , goggles goggles, n the protective eyewear worn by dental personnel and patients during dental procedures. goggles see periocular leukotrichia. to keep out sun and air, and plugs to prevent tears from draining. At its worst, dry eye causes pain, corneal ulcers Corneal Ulcers Definition The cornea, the clear front part of the eye through which light passes, is subject to many infections and to injury from exposure and from foreign objects. and loss of vision. Allergan Inc. has an exclusive license with Harvard to test and market the drops and plans to submit a proposal to the Food and Drug Administration by December 1998, Sullivan said. Clinical trials could begin in early 1999, Sullivan said. |
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