ESCRS 2026: real-world data support two dry eye drops

Piotr A. Woźniak, MD, PhD, presented a retrospective real-world evidence (RWE) study at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), held 11 to 15 September 2026 at ExCeL London, examining how two preservative-free lubricating eye drops perform in routine dry eye disease (DED) management outside the controlled setting of a clinical trial.

"Lubricating eye drops remain one of the mainstays of dry eye management, but there is still relatively limited real-world evidence showing how individual preservative-free formulations perform outside controlled clinical trials," Woźniak said.

Study design and key findings

The interim analysis drew on a deidentified, retrospective case review from 10 eye care practitioners across 6 countries (Dubai, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Turkey), covering 78 patients: 59 treated with Artelac Complete (ArtC; Bausch + Lomb), which contains 0.24% sodium hyaluronate, carbomer, and glycerin, and 19 treated with Artelac Ultra 4S (Art4S; Bausch + Lomb), which contains hyaluronic acid, trehalose, fucoidan, and D-panthenol. Practitioners had at least three years' experience treating DED and at least one year's experience with the study drops.¹

Both formulations showed an encouraging signal. Mean tear breakup time (TBUT) improved by 5.0 seconds with ArtC and 4.4 seconds with Art4S, while Schirmer test scores improved by a mean of 2.8mm with ArtC and 3.3mm with Art4S. Clinicians reported improved signs in 59 of 59 ArtC patients and 19 of 19 Art4S patients, with symptom improvement reported in 57 of 59 ArtC patients and all Art4S patients. No adverse events were reported with ArtC; one Art4S patient reported lid atopia.¹

Interpreting the data

Woźniak cautioned against a head-to-head reading of the results. Follow-up differed substantially between cohorts (a mean of 9.6 weeks for ArtC versus 22.6 weeks for Art4S), and 64% of ArtC patients had received prior dry eye treatment compared with all Art4S patients. "I would not use this interim data to say that one formulation performed better than the other, but this has to be proven by other, future trials," he said. He added that real-world evidence complements, rather than replaces, randomised trials by capturing outcomes in patients with comorbidities, prior surgeries, and varying medication adherence that trials often exclude.

Reference
1. Woźniak PA. Retrospective real-world evidence study: utilisation patterns and clinical outcomes with two types of lubricating eye drops in patients with dry eye disease [poster]. Presented at: 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS 2026); September 11-15, 2026; London, England.

This video is based on an interview with Piotr A. Woźniak, MD, PhD discussing his poster presentation at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS 2026). Woźniak is a consultant for Bausch + Lomb.