Bausch + Lomb Phase IV Study Shows Rapid Symptom Relief with MIEBO for Dry Eye Disease

According to the latest study data, MIEBO delivers unprecedented, lasting dry eye symptom relief in just five minutes. 

The treatment landscape for millions of dry eye sufferers in the United States just got a bit friendlier.

Newly published data demonstrates that patients using Bausch + Lomb’s (Ontario, Canada) MIEBO (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution) reported dry eye symptom relief as quickly as five minutes after initial administration, with benefits maintained throughout the 14-day study period.¹

The phase IV study results, published in Ophthalmology and Therapy, build upon previous phase III findings and offer insight into how quickly patients may experience relief before the day 15 timepoint that was evaluated in earlier trials.¹

“We know that the symptoms of dry eye disease, which include eye dryness, blurred vision, burning, stinging and eye pain, can have a significant impact on daily activities such as reading, driving, working on a computer and using devices,” said Andrew Stewart, president of Global Pharmaceuticals and International Consumer at Bausch + Lomb (Ontario, Canada), in a news release.

For Bausch + Lomb, the results add up to one critical unmet need in the dry eye treatment landscape: speed. 

“This phase IV data demonstrates just how quickly MIEBO can help patients feel relief. We saw significant symptom improvement in a matter of minutes, which was sustained at 60 minutes,” added Mr. Stewart in a statement to Media MICE. “This data should help doctors feel confident that they have a good option to get more of their evaporative dry eye patients comfortable from day one.” 

What are the details of the MIEBO phase IV study results?

The prospective, multicenter, open-label study evaluated MIEBO’s effects on symptom severity and frequency early in treatment. Inclusion criteria matched the phase III studies, with all patients having a history of dry eye disease and evidence of meibomian gland dysfunction. Patients rated their experiences using a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 100.¹

Dr. Shane R. Kannarr, study author and optometrist at Kannarr Eye Care in Kansas (USA), noted, “Rapid relief of dry eye symptoms is an important factor for adherence to treatment. These patient-reported results show that MIEBO provided relief from dry eye symptoms quickly – in some cases in as little as five minutes after the patient’s first use – and that relief was maintained and improved over the two-week period.”

Key findings from the trial included:

• The primary endpoint was met, with mean overall symptom severity decreasing significantly from 72.1 at baseline to 27.8 at day 7.
• Significant symptom relief was observed within 5 minutes of the first administration, with VAS scores decreasing from 72.1 at baseline to 38.5, and further improving to 31.7 at 60 minutes post-administration.
• Significant reductions were seen across all symptoms including dryness, blurred vision, eye irritation, light sensitivity and eye pain.
• Patient awareness of dry eye symptoms decreased from 77.6% at baseline to 27.6% by day 14.
• Patient satisfaction ratings were high, increasing from 83.0 at day 3 to 90.0 by day 14.
• Patients most commonly described MIEBO as “silky, smooth and soothing” upon administration.
• No treatment-related adverse events were reported.¹

MIEBO is the first and only prescription treatment to directly target tear evaporation and is indicated for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.

For more information, see Bausch + Lomb’s press release on the phase IV MIEBO results.

Reference

1. Bacharach J, Kannarr SR, Verachtert A, et al. Early effects of perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution on patient-reported outcomes in dry eye disease: A prospective, open-label, multicenter study. Ophthalmol Ther. 2025;14:693-704.