Determining initial ocular comfort differences between 0.7% olopatadine and 0.035% ketotifen fumarate

PurposeTo compare the ocular comfort at application of topical, over-the-counter, 0.7% olopatadine and 0.035% ketotifen fumarate anti-allergy eye drops.MethodsThis study recruited participants who were minimally symptomatic based upon Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) questionnaire scores (≤3 units) and who had minimal between-eye inter-ocular comfort differences as judged by visual analog scale scores (VAS; ≤7 units). Baseline comfort was evaluated by eye with a VAS. One drop of 0.7% olopatadine or 0.035% ketotifen fumarate was then applied to the right eye with the alternative drop being immediately applied to the left eye. Participants were next evaluated with the same comfort VAS by eye at drop application, and then at 30 s, 1 min, and 2 min post-application. LogMAR visual acuities and bulbar conjunctival redness were evaluated pre- and post-drop application to judge initial changes.ResultsThis study enrolled 159 participants who had a mean ± SD age of 26.3 ± 7.7 years, and 78.6% of the participants were female. The VAS found that the 0.7% olopatadine drop was more comfortable than the 0.035% ketotifen fumarate drop at all time-points. There were no between-eye differences in LogMAR visual acuities, yet bulbar redness was significantly less in 0.7% olopatadine treated eyes compared 0.035% ketotifen fumarate treated eyes.ConclusionThis study found that topically applied 0.7% olopatadine drops were initially more comfortable than 0.035% ketotifen fumarate drops.