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Progesterone cream may ease dry eye symptoms
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DENVER – The anti-inflammatory properties of transdermal progesterone may be useful in relieving dry eye symptoms, particularly in those patients who do not respond well to treatment with testosterone cream, according to a study presented here at the American Academy of Optometry meeting.
Researcher Charles Connors, OD, sought to determine whether progesterone cream could be beneficial to a larger population for whom testosterone is not a viable treatment.
"I think this information could be useful to most practitioners, because a large number of patients can't wear their contact lenses due to dryness," he said in his presentation. "Putting a patient on an artificial tear does not turn out to be effective unless the patient has a mild case of dry eye."
The study evaluated 30 dry eye patients, 6 male and 24 female, with an average age of 36.5 years. Questionnaires were administered to assess baseline tear break-up time (TBUT) and ocular surface disease index (OSDI); Schirmer’s test was administered and intraocular pressure was taken. The same evaluations were repeated for 3 weeks after the progesterone cream was applied to the eyelids.
According to the study results, baseline TBUT was 5.96+/-2.18 seconds and increased after cream use to 8.0+/-3.5 seconds. This difference was significant at the P = 0.01 level.
While the Schirmer’s tests results showed an increase, this was not found to be statistically significant (11.9+/-6.97 mm to 14.175+/-8.41 mm). Over the 3-week treatment period, there was no notable change in IOP (14.198+/-3.4 mm Hg at baseline and 3.785+/-3.21 mm Hg post-treatment). A symptomatic improvement in OSDI score of 20% (from 28 to 22) was noted, and this change was statistically significant at the P = 0.05 level.
Dr. Connors acknowledged that progesterone's effects are not as dramatic as those of testosterone, but that it has the potential for dry eye treatment nevertheless.
"It doesn't have the 'wow' factor of testosterone cream. It works, but it doesn't knock your socks off," he said. "However, the bottom line is, we expect that progesterone could have some anti-inflammatory effect."
Dr. Connors said that testosterone cream's benefits seem to be confined to the menopausal female demographic; it is less effective in younger women, older men and women older than 60 years.