None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Eyedrops containing castor oil can be used to relieve symptoms of dry eye disease. This study seeks to determine if the application of castor oil to the eyelids improves the eyelid margin health and the tear film quality. This is a prospective, investigator-masked, paired-eye trial where one eye of each participant with bilateral anterior blepharitis will be selected for castor oil application according to a computerised randomisation schedule created pre-recruitment. The fellow eye will remain untreated, as the control. Clinicians collecting data will be masked with respect to the eye that has been assigned castor oil application. Participants will be asked to refrain from applying castor oil on the day of assessment to minimise the risk of unmasking. Pre-treatment signs & symptoms will be measured using validated, non-invasive dry eye clinical tests. Following 4 weeks of twice daily application of castor oil to both upper and lower eyelids with a roller ball applicator, post-treatment signs and symptoms will be remeasured and compared to baseline. The battery of tests will take up to 45 minutes to perform at each visit and will include clinical tests and patient reported outcomes via symptom questionnaires.
Interventions
After training by clinical researchers, participants will topically apply approximately 0.2g of 100% cold pressed castor oil to the external upper and lower eyelid skin surfaces close to the eyelash line. Application will be to one eye only using a dedicated 10ml vial fitted with a roller ball applicator, twice daily (morning and night) for 4 weeks. Treatment compliance will be confirmed by text messaging on day 1 and weekly, with reminders not to apply castor oil on the day of assessment at w
After training by clinical researchers, participants will topically apply approximately 0.2g of 100% cold pressed castor oil to the external upper and lower eyelid skin surfaces close to the eyelash line. Application will be to one eye only using a dedicated 10ml vial fitted with a roller ball applicator, twice daily (morning and night) for 4 weeks. Treatment compliance will be confirmed by text messaging on day 1 and weekly, with reminders not to apply castor oil on the day of assessment at week 4.
Sponsors
The University of Auckland
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Aged over 18 years Clinical signs and symptoms of anterior blepharitis Symmetry in signs and symptoms of both eyes at baseline Crusting of the eyelashes and/or signs of meibomian gland dysfunction
Exclusion criteria
Current topical use of eye drops other than occasional use of artificial tears Current active infection Abnormal eyelid architecture that prevents full eyelid closure during blinking Use of systemic medications that are known to affect the lacrimal system (cause eye dryness) Changed or planned change in systemic medication within 4 weeks of study commencement
Outcome results
None listed