[Discussion] Perfluorohexyloctane: Do we really need a PFAS for the treatment of Dry Eye Disease?
By Camino García-Blasco, Saioa Domingo-Echaburu, Gorka Orive, and Unax Lertxundi
Sci. Total Environ.
August 7, 2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165936
Dry Eye Disease (DED) is one of the most prevalent ocular diseases in the world, affecting up to 50 % of the population in some Asiatic regions and an estimated 50 million people in the United States (Stapleton et al., 2017). Advanced age and the use of video display terminals are risk factors that will probably contribute to make this problem even more prevalent in the future (UpToDate, n.d.). First line treatments consist on non-pharmacological measures like environmental coping strategies, amelioration of eyelid abnormalities including blepharitis, application of warm compresses, smoking cessation, limiting the use of contact lenses and discontinuation of medications that can contribute to dryness (e.g.: antimuscarinics), when possible. Artificial tears are also used to allow eye hydration. They generally contain cellulose to maintain viscosity, an agent like polyethylene glycol/polyvinyl alcohol to prevent evaporation and a preservative (UpToDate, n.d.). Recently, new eye drops consisting on 100 % perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8) have been approved as a pharmaceutical by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for DED. This product, applied four times/day, acts by limiting tear evaporation. This substance is already used as a medical device for eye surgery (intraocular tamponade) in European countries.
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