Role of rheology in tears and artificial tears.

Steve A Arshinoff, Ilan Hofmann, Hemi Nae

Journal of cataract and refractive surgery 2021 May 01

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The study of viscoelastic fluids as artificial tears dates back to the late 1970s. Healon, the first ophthalmic viscosurgical device, was approved in 1980, but studied extensively before then, exhibits very interesting shear-thinning properties that were found to be beneficial in both ophthalmic surgery and somewhat later as a tear replacement solution. Unlike the previous tear film replacements, which were mainly viscous in nature, viscoelastic solutions, particularly those based on hyaluronan, exhibited very interesting, potentially beneficial, rheological properties, especially when slightly altered to become elastoviscous. This review examines the rheological properties that are significant in artificial tear solutions. We define herein the necessary parameters that need to be further studied to design and formulate rheologically better artificial tears, which should provide enhanced efficacy compared with their predecessors. Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of ASCRS and ESCRS.

Citation

Steve A Arshinoff, Ilan Hofmann, Hemi Nae. Role of rheology in tears and artificial tears. Journal of cataract and refractive surgery. 2021 May 01;47(5):655-661