THE DISEASE
Dry eye is a common disease of the ocular surface that affects around 200 million people in Europe and the United States. One person in 11 is affected by some form of dry eye.
The pathology has various causes: age, hormonal changes linked to the menopause, certain drug treatments, intense exposure to screens, smoking, etc. It can also be a symptom of other diseases such as Gougerot-Sjögren’s syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis.
THE SYMPTOMS OF DRY EYE DISEASE
Typical symptoms include eye discomfort and vision problems. These symptoms affecting visual function have a real impact on quality of life, as they can prevent patients from carrying out basic everyday activities. It can even have adverse effects on mental health, such as depression and anxiety.
WHAT CAUSES DRY EYE DISEASE
Produced by the lacrimal glands located under the eyelids, tears are made up of water and fatty substances, which enable them to act as a lubricating protective film for the eyes, protecting them from dust and germs. Dry eyes are insufficiently lubricated. This does not always mean that the eye does not produce tears, but in some cases, these do not have sufficient moisturizing and antiseptic properties.
More permeable and without sufficient protection, the eye can dry out and damage, which can lead to infections and even lesions or erosions of the cornea.
THE CURRENT TREATMENT
To protect the surface of the eye, it is important to lubricate it properly. Eye drops, gels and artificial tears can relieve mild cases, but they need to be administered several times a day by the patients themselves.
Self-administration of these treatments has several disadvantages: apart from the discomfort and blurred vision, the quantity of drug absorbed by the eye is uncertain, and the preservatives present in some solutions can damage the tear film and cornea.
THE UNMET NEED
The unmet medical need expressed by ophthalmology specialists is the need for:
- more therapeutic options with more favorable safety profiles
- a simplified dosing system
EYED PHARMA’S APPROACH OF DRY EYE DISEASE
We are currently in a process of Research and Development of a bioresorbable ocular micro-insert providing a lubricating action for patients suffering from moderate to severe dry eye.
AFFECTED BY A DRY EYE DISEASE ? HOW TO HELP
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