The following is a summary of “Evaluation of recovery time of tear film function and ocular surface after discontinuing oral isotretinoin treatment for acne vulgaris,” published in the September 2023 issue of Ophthalmology by Lekskul et al.
Researchers performed a prospective study to assess tear film function and ocular surface recovery after discontinuing systemic isotretinoin treatment.
They conducted a cross-sectional study involving 34 eyes (17 patients) treated with low-dose oral isotretinoin (< 0.5 mg/kg/day). The modified Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, tear break-up time, Schirmer test, and corneal staining were assessed in all patients at baseline, during treatment, and after treatment withdrawal every two weeks until the values returned to baseline.
The results showed that Tear Break-up Time exhibited the most sensitivity, with a significant change at 2 weeks after initiating treatment (P<0.001) and a return to baseline at 4 weeks after treatment cessation (P<0.001). Schirmer Test results significantly decreased at 6 weeks and returned to baseline 4 weeks after treatment cessation (P<0.001). OSDI scores demonstrated significant changes at 6 weeks into treatment (81.8%) and returned to baseline 2 weeks after treatment cessation (54.5%). MGD remained unchanged. Corneal staining was notably positive at 90.9% after 6 weeks of treatment initiation and returned to baseline 6 weeks after treatment cessation (P<0.001).
They concluded dry eye disease can return to baseline after treatment withdrawal, but it may take 6 weeks.
Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10792-023-02868-y
