New Study Examines How Topical Naltrexone Restores Tear Production in Diabetic Dry Eye

A recent article in Experimental Biology and Medicine discusses the effects of topical naltrexone on tear production in diabetic rats. Led by Dr. Pat McLaughlin, Dr. Ian Zagon, and their graduate student David Diaz from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, along with Dr. Joseph W. Sassani, the study reveals how blocking the Opioid Growth Factor - Opioid Growth Factor Receptor pathway reverses dry eye symptoms and stabilizes corneal surface sensitivity in preclinical models.

Diabetes, a global epidemic, often involves complications of the visual system, including dry eye. Chronic dry eye arises from a dysfunction in the lacrimal functional unit. The study shows that within weeks of hyperglycemia onset, diabetic rats developed dry eye. Topical naltrexone application reversed symptoms in just five days by increasing tear production and corneal sensitivity without causing significant morphological changes in the lacrimal or meibomian glands.

The researchers found that the fast reversal of dry eye was due to increased aqueous protein and mucin secretions, linked to sensory fibers on the cornea. These findings open new avenues for understanding dry eye mechanisms and its relationship with the OGF-OGFr pathway, suggesting the potential of naltrexone for treating diabetic dry eye in humans.

Dr. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, emphasizes the significance of these findings and advocates for clinical studies to determine naltrexone's efficacy in treating diabetic dry eye.