Punctal Occlusion is a frontline Dry Eye management strategy
Punctal Plugs
Punctal occlusion is a procedure proven to retain tears on the ocular surface. It is a simple and reversible way of reducing tear drainage that has a good safety profile1.
Who could benefit from plugging?
Dry Eye Disease is now understood to be a continuum with many patients having an aqueous (ADDE) and evaporative (EDE) component that are non-mutually exclusive in contributing their Dry Eye symptoms.
By maintaining a greater volume of natural tears on the ocular surface, punctal occlusion can help reduce patient symptoms regardless of whether ADDE or EDE is the predominant influencing factor.
Advantages of punctal occlusion
A convenient way for patients to improve their dry eye symptoms
Clinically proven to reduce CL Induced Dry Eye
Reduces dependence on artificial tears
Builds loyalty through giving extra care
VeraPlug™ FlexFit™
FlexFit is a clever non-dilating punctum plug design. Its hollow nose cone ensures ease of fitting and high retention rates.This design means it only needs 4 sizes, simplifying the fitting process.
VeraPlug™ Flow
Flow uses an inner channel to reduce not stop tear flow, providing partial occlusion.
Proven to reduce Contact Lens Induced Dry Eye (CLIDE)
Inserting a contact lens uniquely challenges the tear film and ocular surface. Discomfort and specifically dryness sensations is still the leading cause of contact lens drop-out with:
- Over 75% of patients discontinuing contact lens wear at one time or another due to discomfort2
- Up to 50% of soft CL wearers complaining of dryness3
Punctal occlusion as an effective management strategy for CLIDE.4-5
Punctal occlusion reduces all CLIDE symptoms by around 50%6
A recent UK study showed that, following punctal plug fitting, there was a statistically significant reduction in the frequency, severity and overall sum of subjective symptoms associated with dryness among soft contact lens wearers.
Lenses removed less often following plugging
The contact lens wearers removed their lenses on average less than once a week due to dryness compared with several times a week prior to punctal occlusion.
Reduction in dry eye drop usage
Patients in the study used drops up to 5 times (average 2.1) a day in an attempt to relieve symptoms. After punctal occlusion, no patient needed drops more than twice (average 0.6) a day.
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Interested in using Punctal Plugs in your practice?
Contact us to find out more about Punctal Plugs and to order.
References
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Positive Impact
Positive Impact (PI) will be showing its independent-only portfolio and launching two new diagnostic instruments.
This will be the debut for the return of the Keratron topographer range to the UK.
Throughout the month, more than 250 dry eye specialist practices across the UK joined forces with Positive Impact to help raise awareness of this growing eye health epidemic among the general public.
Are you looking to expand or even introduce dry eye services to your practice?
Our ever popular Dry Eye Workshop Day on Monday, 9th March is specifically designed with you in mind.