Clinical Investigation of Therapeutic Effect and Extrusion Rate of Punctal Plug for Dry Eye Syndrome.

Kwon, Jeong Do; Park, Do Hoon; Park, Dong; Lee, Chang Hwan

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2006;47(8):1204-1211.
Published online August 31, 2006.

Clinical Investigation of Therapeutic Effect and Extrusion Rate of Punctal Plug for Dry Eye Syndrome.

Jeong Do Kwon, Do Hoon Park, Dong Park, Chang Hwan Lee

Department of Ophthalmology Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital, Busan, Korea. oph@wmbh.co.kr

건성안에서 눈물점마개의 치료와 탈락률에 대한 임상 고찰

권정도,박도훈,박동,이창환

Department of Ophthalmology Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital, Busan, Korea

Correspondence: Jeong Do Kwon, M.D.

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigte the extrusion rate of punctal plugs and to evaluate their long-term effectiveness related to punctal occlusion. METHODS: The subjects were 120 eyes of 60 patients with tear-deficient dry eye who underwent punctal occlusion using a silicone punctal plug from May 2003 to Jun 2004. They were followed up for 382.3+/-164.3 days. We studied the extrusion rate and the period of extrusion for each plug and examined the differences between the objective and subjective indicators of dry eye syndrome before and after plug insertion and between extruded and non-extruded punctal plugs. RESULTS: In this study, 25.8% of all plugs were extruded during the follow-up period. The majority of plugs (41.9%) were extruded within 100 days after plug insertion. As objective indicators, results of Schirmer test and BUT were significantly increased after plug insertion. As subjective indicators, the patients' clinical symptoms significantly improved. Patient use of artificial tear drops significantly decreased and was discontinued by 70.8% after plug insertion. There were however no significant differences between the extrusion group and the non-extrusion group in each case. CONCLUSIONS: Punctal plug occlusion therapy for tear-deficient dry eye is effective, but the extrusion rate is relatively high. Regardless of punctal plug extrusion, patients experienced a symptomatic improvement. Serious consideration of this fact may greatly aid in making therapeutic adaptations and maintaining a good relationship.

Key Words: Dry eye;Extrusion rate;Punctal plug;Tear-deficient dry eye