# The Use of Venous Catheter and Irrigation with Povidone-Iodine 0.6% in Patients with Punctal and Proximal Canalicular Stenosis: Preliminary Report

## TL;DR

This study shows that using a venous catheter and povidone-iodine irrigation helps treat eye stenosis and prevents recurrence.

## Contribution

A new treatment method using venous catheters and povidone-iodine 0.6% is proposed for punctal and proximal canalicular stenosis.

## Key findings

- Povidone-iodine 0.6% irrigation improved ocular symptoms and tear film stability more than balanced salt solution.
- No recurrence of stenosis was observed in the povidone-iodine group, while three recurrences occurred in the control group.
- Both groups showed significant improvements in ocular surface parameters over three months.

## Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of povidone-iodine 0.6% (PVI) irrigation for preventing recurrence of stenosis after punctoplasty in patients with punctal and proximal canalicular stenosis treated using a venous catheter as a stent. Methods: Twenty patients were enrolled and divided into two groups. Group 1 received irrigation of 1 mL 0.6% PVI, while Group 2 received 1 mL of balanced salt solution (BSS). The patients underwent baseline, 15-, 30-, and 90-day assessments using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, Symptoms Assessment in Dry Eye (SANDE), Schirmer I test, tear meniscus height (TMH), bulbar redness, meibography, and non-invasive breakup time (NIKBUT) through Keratograph 5M (Oculus, Germany). Results: At three months, both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in symptoms and ocular surface parameters. However, Group 1 showed statistically significant improvements in OSDI, SANDE scores, bulbar redness, and NIKBUT compared to Group 2. Additionally, no patients in Group 1 presented a recurrence of stenosis, while three patients in Group 2 demonstrated stenosis relapse at the end of the follow-up period. Conclusions: The application of a venous catheter and PVI 0.6% irrigations proved to be effective in treating proximal lacrimal duct stenosis, reducing the risk of recurrence and improving tear film stability, ocular discomfort symptoms, and ocular surface parameters.