Comparison Of 2% Rebamipide Monotherapy And 0.5% Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Combination Therapy For Dry Eye Following Cataract Surgery

The study was designed to evaluate the combined therapeutic effect of topical 2% rebamipide and 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC) for managing dry eye following cataract surgery compared with 2% rebamipide monotherapy. Postoperative dry eye is a common complication affecting many cataract surgery patients, leading to reduced patient satisfaction and quality of life. This study aims to assess whether the combination therapy offers superior benefits in alleviating symptoms of dry eye, thereby improving postoperative recovery and patient well-being.

This study was conducted at Saevit Eye Hospital, Goyang, Korea involving dry eye patients who underwent cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and intraocular lens insertion).

Patients who underwent cataract surgery were evaluated for dry eye one week after the surgery. Randomly selected patients were divided into two groups: the combined therapy group, which received 2% rebamipide and 0.5% CMC eye drops, and the monotherapy group, which received only 2% rebamipide. Various dry eye-related tests, including Schirmer's test, tear break-up time (TBUT), ocular surface staining, tear film osmolarity, tear lipid layer thickness, and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), were performed in both groups at one and two months after the surgery.

In the combined therapy group, we observed a significant improvement in Schirmer's test, TBUT, and ocular surface staining scores at both one and two months post-surgery compared to baseline (1 month: p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.005; 2 months: p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001). OSDI remained unchanged throughout the entire follow-up period. The combined therapy group exhibited significantly longer Schirmer's test results (p < 0.001, p = 0.003), longer TBUT (p = 0.022 at 1 month), and a lower ocular surface staining score (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) compared to the monotherapy group.

Following cataract surgery, the combined use of rebamipide and carboxymethylcellulose sodium eye drops resulted in improvements in Schirmer's test, TBUT, and ocular surface staining scores. This suggests that combination therapy may be a promising option for patients who do not achieve adequate relief with rebamipide eyedrops, offering an alternative approach to enhance postoperative care and improve patient outcomes.