Conditions: Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Dry Eye Syndrome
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 20
Healthy volunteers: yes

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether, in people with dry eye syndrome, over the counter artificial tears and the prescription eye drop, dexamethasone, change or effect the eyes response to a low humidity environment.

It is known that irritation from dry eye can be improved by over the counter artificial tears because they wet and lubricate the eyes. The prescription eye drop, dexamethasone, can also improve eye irritation by decreasing the inflammation that develops in dry eye. Thus, the investigators hypothesize that the use of these conventional dry eye treatments will improve the eyes' response to a low humidity environment.

Detailed description:
This study evaluated the effects of the corticosteroid dexamethasone on suppressing development of eye irritation, cornea epithelial disease and increased production of inflammatory mediators in subjects who were subjected to an experimental low humidity drafty environment.

Arms:
arm 1: Artificial tears four times a day both eyes for two weeks, then Dexamethasone 0.01% four times a day both eyes for two weeks

Interventions: intervention 1: Dexamethasone intervention 2: Artificial tear
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: None intervention 2: None

Protocol document: