Effect of oral contraceptives on tear physiology

Variations in sex hormones due to the menstrual cycle (and oral contraceptives) were evaluated for their effect on tear physiology. Subjects were 18 females taking oral contraceptives or their age matched controls (no medication), aged 21–33years. Symptoms of ocular discomfort (visual analog scale),...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ophthalmic & physiological optics 2001-01, Vol.21 (1), p.9-16
Main Authors: Tomlinson, Alan, Pearce, E.Ian, Simmons, Peter A., Blades, Kenny
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Biological and medical sciences
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Contraceptives, Oral - adverse effects
Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment
Estrogens - metabolism
Female
Humans
Medical sciences
Menstrual Cycle - physiology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Progesterone - metabolism
Tears - drug effects
Tears - physiology
Toxicity: eye
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Summary:Variations in sex hormones due to the menstrual cycle (and oral contraceptives) were evaluated for their effect on tear physiology. Subjects were 18 females taking oral contraceptives or their age matched controls (no medication), aged 21–33years. Symptoms of ocular discomfort (visual analog scale), tear film structure (TearScope), non-invasive tear thinning time (HirCal grid), evaporation rate (ServoMed evaporimeter), osmolality (Nanolitre Osmometer), tear turnover rate, tear volume (Fluorotron Master), and tear protein levels (HPLC) were measured around day 2 (D2), actually day 1–4 and day 19 (D19) actually day 18–21 of the cycle. No significant differences were found for any tear parameters between D2 and D19 for either pill users or controls alone, or in the comparison of pill users with controls. No effect on tear physiology was found for serum hormone changes induced by oral contraceptive use or by normal cyclic variations in healthy young females.
ISSN:0275-5408
1475-1313
DOI:10.1016/S0275-5408(00)00005-3