Abstract: Objective To observe the effect of a novel type eye dressing with central window in alleviating ocular surface symptoms among thyroid associated ophthalmopathy patients with lagophthalmos. Design prospective randomized controlled trial. Participants 40 patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy underwent orbital decompression surgery in Beijing Tongren Hospital. Method Forty patients were randomly divided into groups by the numerical table method, 20 of whom used the new eye dressing with central window (observation group), and the other 20 were in the control group. The observation group received the novel eye dressing with central window during night sleeping, while the control group was treated with the original mode for three consecutive days. The patient's subjective and objective symptom improvement was evaluated. The Kolcaba comfort scale and pain score were questionnaired.Main Outcome Measures corneal fluorescein staining, tear film rupture time, Schirmer II test, the Kolcaba comfort scale and pain rating scale. Results After 3 consecutive days, the tear film rupture time in the observation group was significantly prolonged (5.90±2.27 s vs. 8.93±5.22 s, P=0.02), the Schirmer II tear test was increased [5.0mm(2.0-10.0 mm)vs 9.0 mm (6.0-15.0 mm, P=0.02), and the ocular comfort score was significantly improved (72.10±4.72 vs. 77.36±4.98, P=0.015). The number of punctate epithelial erosions  [4 (2-5) vs. 1(0-2) points, P=0.001]  and pain scores  [1(0-1) vs.0 (0-0), P=0.01] in the observation group were significantly reduced after using the novel eye dressing compared with control group. Conclusions Short-term use of the novel type eye dressing with central window improved tear film stability, promoted recovery of corneal epithelial damage, and improved ocular comfort in patients with thyroid-related ophthalmopathy patients with lagophthalmos. (Ophthalmol CHN, 2023, 32: 45-48)

Key words: novel eye dressing, lagophthalmos, ocular comfort, tear film stability