This drop hasn't passed through FDA approval yet but is in final review! The drop is called Aldeyra’s (name could change) but the active ingredient is Reproxalap. Bausch and Lomb makes it. Let's first explain dry eye a little bit. Dry eye is inflammation this inflammation can cause the lacrimal gland which makes the aqueous portion of your tears to decrease function and cause the mucin layer not to work, and the lipid (oil) layer not to be produced in meibomian glands (that can cause gland death). There is a little bit of a chicken and egg debate if the inflammation from the environment and other things causing inflammation and then that affecting the glands into not functioning correctly. This then causes more inflammation and the more inflammation causes even more gland dysfunction. Every prescription eye drop is in the treatment of signs and symptoms of chronic dry eye. Even though they help with the chronic dry eye they don't help the decreased gland function according to FDA. This is the 1st drop to help with Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) most people agree is the number one cause of dry eye (there are other MGD treatments FDA besides drops). We can easily and non-invasively take a photo of meibomian glands (I do it with almost every patient in the office with an infrared camera) and so only took a drop to increase the function and hopefully increase the glands themselves (reverse gland death). The way the new drops work is by decreasing the reactive aldehyde species (RASP) inhibitor to decrease the inflammation of the eye. Decreasing the inflammation is awesome because it might help all the other glands. I have not seen the full study yet only a summary (probably won't see the study until later this year). That being said there is some great news on it. It works in one to two weeks. I'm wondering if other Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) treatments can speed up the results. Considering taking Restasis and Xiidra can take 3 to 6 months to work this is a massive improvement. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of Restasis or Xiidra because reading the studies didn't seem very convincing of the effectiveness. This drop might be the same it might not be. That being said for severe dry eye using Tryvaya to increase tear production. Along with Aldeyra (which might be the name for the same active ingredient used in a multitude of treatments for the eye) to help increase Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) with other in-office treatments might help eliminate dry eye. I know that is most likely a pipe dream but I can dream! Dry eye is very complex I honestly doubt that will be the case but having another weapon in our arsenal is always a good thing!
