Abstract:

Objective To observe the efficacy of portable dry eye steam instrument using traditional Chinese herbs in treating dry eye patients in a daily home used model. Design Perspective comparative case series. Participants Ninety-six dry eye patients were all from outpatient section in Tongren Hospital from 2016 to 2017, the average age was 55.60±12.30 years old. Methods Ninety-six patients with dry eye were randomly divided into two groups, the testing group and the control group,  48 patients in each group. The testing group was given steam treatment twenty minutes every day with Zhenqi eye drop and anti-inflammatory drugs. The control group was given sodium hyaluronate eye drop 5 times a day. The symptoms and signs were observed after 4 weeks. The clinical effective index=(subjective symptoms score before treatment-subjective symptoms score after treatment)/subjective symptoms score before treatment×100%. The significant clinical effectiveness means clinical effective  index ≥90%, BUT, SIt, cornea fluorescence was recovered completely. The clinical effectiveness means 90%≥clinical effective index ≥30%, one of them includes BUT, SIt and cornea fluorescence was improved. No clinical effectiveness means clinical effective index <30%, any of them includes BUT, SIt and cornea fluorescence was not improved. Main Outcome Measures The total clinical effectiveness ratios（significant clinical effectiveness + clinical effectiveness）, total scores of symptoms, SIt, BUT, cornea fluorescence score. Results There was no significant difference between testing group and control group in total scores of symptoms, SIt, BUT, cornea fluorescence score before any treatment was given. The clinical effectiveness ratio was 79.17% in testing group, and 66.67% in control group after 4 weeks treatment, no significant was found (P=0.168). After 4 weeks treatment, the BUT was 5.54±2.39 s in testing group and 4.56±2.09 s in control group (P=0.03). The total score of symptom was 2.75±1.94 in testing group and 3.67±2.02 in control group (P=0.02).  Conclusion  Dry eye can be effectively treated by Chinese herb stream treatment, the effectiveness in Chinese herb stream treatment with Zhenqi on dry eye was found to be better than sodium hyaluronate eye drop only.

Key words: dry eye, herbs stream massage