effect of a natural eye drop, made of plantago ovata mucilage on improvement of dry eye symptoms: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial

Dry eye disease is a relatively common eye disorder associated with decrease in qualityof life. in this study, efficacy of an eye drop of plantago ovata mucilage on symptoms of dryeye disease was evaluated. in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial,sixty dry eye patients with ocular symptoms and total ocular surface disease index (osdi)score of ≥12 were randomly assigned to receive either a natural ophthalmic drop, made ofplantago ovata mucilage or placebo 4 times a day for 6 weeks. the patients were evaluatedat pretreatment (baseline), weeks 4 and 6 post-treatment. the evaluation of the efficacy andsafety were conducted based on the osdi questionnaire, the noninvasive tear film break-uptime (ni-but) with keratograph, the schirmer test without anesthesia, and the osmolaritytest, as well as by monitoring possible adverse events. after 6 weeks, within group analysisshowed a significant improvement in total osdi score (p < 0.001). in addition, between groupcomparison revealed a significant improvement in the osdi score of the intervention group(p < 0.001). although, ni-but was significantly improved in the plantago ovata group (p =0.004), however no statistically significant difference was observed in between group analysis.there were no significant differences between two groups, or significant changes within thegroups in the schirmer test without anesthesia and the osmolarity test. no serious adverseevents were reported. in conclusion, p. ovata mucilage is a natural, inexpensiveness, and safelubricant polymer that could have beneficial ocular effects on subjective symptoms of thepatients with dry eye disease.