Ophthalmologists present data on perfluorohexyloctane eye drops

Close-up of man using eye drops
(Image credit: AdobeStock/New Africa)

Dry eye disease is one of the most common conditions that affects patients of all ages and demographics. For ophthalmologists, understanding the treatment options that can best meet their patients' needs is important to helping those patients find relief from their dry eye symptoms. Among the treatment options is perfluorohexyloctane eye drops.

At the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2025 Annual Meeting, Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, FACS, and Jason Bacharach, MD, presented data on perfluorohexyloctane eye drops. Ophthalmology Times spoke to both presenters to learn more about their data and how patients with dry eye disease may benefit from these eye drops.

Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, FACS, gave a presentation titled “Perfluorohexyloctane Ophthalmic Solution in Patients With Dry Eye Disease and Cataract: Post Hoc Analysis of Pooled Data From Pivotal Trials.” She shared that the key takeaway from this talk was that “Perfluorohexyloctane (Miebo) should be considered as an effective treatment to prepare patients [with dry eye] for cataract surgery by quickly improving dry eye signs and symptoms.” The data to back up this takeaway were gathered through a post hoc analysis of pooled data from two phase 3 pivotal clinical trials (GOBI and MOJAVE). When asked how perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution offers patients with cataracts relief from dry eye disease, McDonald noted that, “It prevents or reduces evaporative tear loss, which stabilizes their ocular surface quickly and could result in more accurate preoperative biometry.”

McDonald was also asked what she wished patients knew about living with dry eye disease.

She answered, “Science marches on! We can do more to help [patients with] dry eye than ever before. Specifically, PFHO [perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution] was effective in improving the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease in patients with dry eye disease and concomitant cataract. These data support that PFHO may be a promising treatment option for preoperative management of patients with dry eye disease undergoing cataract surgery, warranting further study in this patient population.”

Jason Bacharach, MD, an ophthalmologist with North Bay Eye Associates, Petaluma, California, gave a presentation titled “Early Symptom Relief and Satisfaction With Perfluorohexyloctane Ophthalmic Solution in Dry Eye Disease.”

In his conversation with Ophthalmology Times, Bacharach explained that perfluorohexyloctane may offer a fast-acting option for dry eye symptom relief, showing measurable benefits within minutes of application. He pointed to data from one of the phase 3 studies conducted for the treatment’s approval. He said, “In this study, we looked at a patient experience in terms of symptoms, literally at 5 minutes after dosing. We then looked at 1 hour, and then we continued to look at different time points over the first 14 days. What we found was almost a 50% improvement at 5 minutes after dosing that continued to improve at each and every time point. And the improvement included specific symptoms like itching and redness and burning, but it also demonstrated an improved clarity of vision as perceived by the patient.”

Bacharach noted the agent's broad utility, saying "Perfluorohexyloctane has the potential not only as an adjunctive therapy to different dry eye products that improve tear production and quality of tear production but...also...as a first-line agent because of its ability to provide instantaneous relief…. It really has that power for utilization all over the spectrum of symptomatology of dry eye.”