A prospective study to assess the role of vitamin D individually and in combination with cyclosporine in the treatment of dry eye in patients with deficient serum 25(OH)D levels

PURPOSE: To study the efficiency of vitamin D3 (buccal spray) alone and combination of vitamin D3 with cyclosporine in the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) in patients with deficient serum 25(OH)D levels. METHODS: Around 90 patients with DED with deficient serum 25(OH)D levels were included and randomized into three groups and were given treatment for dry eye (Group A- 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), Group B- 0.5% CMC + 2000 IU vitamin D through buccal spray, Group C- 0.5% CMC + 2000 IU vitamin D through buccal spray + 0.05% cyclosporine). The patients were followed at day-15, day-30, and day-90 for improvement in tear breakup time (TBUT) and Schirmer’s, and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score. Improvement in serum vitamin D level was assessed at day-90. One way ANOVA test, paired t-test, and Chi-square test were used for analysis. RESULTS: Group B and Group C had significantly higher in Schirmer’s test-I values as compared to Group A (P = 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001 at day-15, day-30, and day-90, respectively). Significantly higher values of TBUT and mean serum vitamin D levels were obtained in Group B and Group C as compared to Group A at day-90 (P < 0.05). OSDI scores of patients significantly decreased in all three groups at all follow-up visits (P < 0.05). Overall, Group C and Group B were found statistically better than Group A. Group C showed better results than Group B but they were nonsignificant. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation leads to earlier and significant improvement in TBUT, Schirmer’s, and OSDI score in patients with vitamin D deficient DED.