Ann Optom Contact Lens.  2025 Sep;24(3):110-117. 10.52725/aocl.2025.24.3.110.

Comparison of 2% Rebamipide Monotherapy and 0.15% Hyaluronic Acid Combination Therapy for Dry Eye after Cataract Surgery

• Lee JY
• Chung SK

• KMID: 2572006
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.52725/aocl.2025.24.3.110

Abstract

Purpose
To compare the effects of 2% rebamipide eye drop monotherapy versus in combination with 0.15% hyaluronic acid eye drops on dry eye syndrome following cataract surgery.
Methods
One week post-cataract surgery, patients with dry eye syndrome were randomly assigned to receive either rebamipide monotherapy or a combination therapy with hyaluronic acid. Evaluations were conducted at 1 week, 1 month, and 2 months postoperatively, including strip meniscometry, tear breakup time, conjunctival and corneal staining, tear meniscus height, tear lipid layer thickness, and the ocular surface disease index.
Results
In the rebamipide monotherapy group, significant improvements in tear breakup time were observed at 1 month (p = 0.049) and 2 months (p < 0.001) post-surgery, with additional improvements in ocular surface staining (p = 0.010) and ocular surface disease index (p = 0.007) at 2 months. In the combination therapy group, significant improvements in tear breakup time and staining were observed at both 1 and 2 months (tear breakup time: p < 0.001, < 0.001; staining: p = 0.001, < 0.001, respectively). However, strip meniscometry and ocular surface disease index scores worsened at 2 months (p = 0.004, 0.012, respectively). Compared to the rebamipide-only group, the combination group demonstrated higher tear breakup time, lower tear meniscus height, a higher ocular surface disease index score, and reduced corneal lipid layer thickness at 1 month (p = 0.014, 0.028, 0.004, 0.043, respectively). By 2 months, the combination group exhibited lower strip meniscometry scores and a higher ocular surface disease index (p = 0.001, < 0.001).
Conclusions
The combined use of rebamipide and hyaluronic acid eye drops after cataract surgery showed benefits for dry eye syndrome, particularly with improvements in tear breakup time and corneal staining.

Keyword

Cataract extraction; Dry eye syndrome; Hyaluronic acid; Rebamipide