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Transdermal testosterone increases contact lens wearing time
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SAN FRANCISCO - A retrospective case series of 10 contact lens intolerant women showed that the use of 5% transdermal testosterone lengthened their wearing time.
Charles G. Connor, PhD, OD, FAAO, reported in a poster here at Academy 2010 that the women in the study ranged in age from 29 to 76 years, with eight out of 10 being menopausal. Prior to treatment, the longest contact lens wear time was 4 hours, and six patients could not wear contacts at all.
"Artificial tears do not work in this patient group, because they provide only temporary palliative relief," Dr. Connor said in the poster. "You can't restore normal tear composition to unhealthy tears; you can't reverse the damage to the ocular surface."
The cream was applied twice daily to the eyelids for 3 weeks. After treatment, the tear break-up time increased from an average of 2.6 seconds to 6.5 seconds. Average contact lens wear time increased from 1 hour to 10.5 hours.
According to the poster, "Two of the most successful patients went from zero to 12 hours of contact lens wear."
Dr. Connor concluded: "Transdermal testosterone promotes increased tear production and meibomian gland secretion, thereby reducing dry eye symptoms."