The treatment of dry eye

The most widely used therapy for dry eye disease is tear replacement by topical artificial tears. Punctal occlusion to prevent the drainage of natural or artificial tears is the most common nonpharmacological treatment. These and other traditional therapies for dry eye disease are only palliative, however, as they replace or conserve the tears without necessarily correcting the underlying disease process. As our understanding of the pathology of dry eye disease improves, new treatment strategies are being developed. Topical anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents, such as cyclosporin A, are under investigation in the treatment of dry eye, as it is anticipated that they will correct the vicious cycle of inflammation and cell damage on the ocular surface and lacrimal glands. (Surv Ophthalmol 45(Suppl 2):S227-39, 2001. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved).