Study: Tryptyr treatment associated with complex visual tasks improvement in DED patients

An exploratory study published in Ophthalmology and Therapy, found that acoltremon ophthalmic solution 0.003% (Alcon; Tryptyr) use was associated with improvement of ability to perform daily living activities (ADL) and increase work productivity (WP).¹ Study authors, led by first author Laura Periman, MD, found evidence for the efficacy of Tryptyr in DED treatment through a post-hoc analysis using data from the COMET cohort studies.^1,2

“As eye care providers, we often ask patients whether their eyes feel better, but we should also be asking whether they are able to do the things they need and want to do more comfortably. Dry eye can make everyday visual tasks — especially prolonged computer use, reading, driving, or working —surprisingly difficult,” co-author Jade Coats, OD, FAAO, explained in a statement to Optometry Times. “In this analysis, we saw that treatment with acoltremon 0.003% was associated with improvements in these real-world, visually demanding activities as early as 2 weeks, with benefits continuing through the end of the study. To me, that is an important reminder that successful dry eye management should ultimately be measured by how patients function and feel in their daily lives, not simply by what we see on the ocular surface.”

Background

Tryptyr, developed by Alcon Laboratories, Inc, was recently approved in 2025 by the FDA for the treatment of DED.² DED is defined as “a multifactorial, symptomatic disease characterized by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film and/or ocular surface, in which tear film instability and hyperosmolarity, ocular surface inflammation and damage, and neurosensory abnormalities are etiological factors” by the Dry Eye Workshop III of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society.³ Tryptyr treatment has proven successful at producing artificial tears and reduces in DED signs and symptoms.²

Specifically, DED is linked to impaired work functioning, as well as work absence.⁴ Often, patients report that DED impacts their ability to perform complex visual tasks required for work, such as using electronic devices and driving.¹ The difficulty to complete ADLs can be attributed to several attributes of DED, such as ocular pain, impaired visual function, increased demand for visual display terminal, and reduced mental health.⁴

Study methods

To assess whether Tryptyr treatment improved ADL and WP, researchers conducted a post-hoc analysis. The analysis was conducted based on data from 3 “randomized, multicenter, VEH-controlled, double-masked” COMET cohorts, as stated by the study authors. The results from the COMET cohort studies were published in 2025 and demonstrated efficacy of Tryptyr treatment in DED symptom reduction.² All data was collected according to GCP guidelines. The consistency in study design and treatment duration “allowed pooling of data across the 3 studies,” according to the study authors.¹

The researchers aimed to capture a diverse cohort. The COMET cohorts had a collective 1179 patients, with 584 randomized to receive Tyrptyr treatment and 595 to receive the control VEH treatment.¹ The patient cohort was 74.6% female, the mean age was about 61.5 years, and the baseline DED symptom measure was similarly classified in both groups as moderate to severe.¹

Participants took 3 baseline questionnaires. The first was the Symptom Assessment in Dry Eye, which measured the severity of DED symptoms experienced by the patient and was administered at each visit. The second questionnaire (ADL/WP) was written to determine how DED specifically interferes with daily tasks. Higher scores on each item of the assessment were attributed to greater DED symptom interference. The third assessment was the safety assessment, which measured “adverse events, corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp, biomicroscopy results, intraocular pressure, and dilated fundoscopy,” the study authors stated. All 3 questionnaires were administered at baseline, day 14, and day 28, and on the last study visit, which varied based on which COMET cohort the participants were in.¹

Researchers conducted an exploratory analysis to assess data collected from the 3 COMET cohorts. For each study visit, they measured the least-squares mean change from baseline assessment scores using an analysis of covariance. Additionally, the team conducted a responder analysis by measuring the proportion of patients who achieved a reduction in “DED symptom-related interference across visual-tasking ADLs,” the study authors stated. These percentages were measured in increments of 10%, starting at 30% and going up to 60% reduction in interference. “As there are no validated metrics that we are aware of to quantify the clinical meaningfulness of an absolute change in a VAS score from DED symptom measure, responder analyses were performed to provide context,” the study authors stated. The research team also performed a Pearson correlation analysis to assess the relationship between DED symptom improvement and ability to perform ADLs. Statistical significance was defined by P < 0.05.¹

Results

The analysis of covariance indicated that participants in the Tryptyr group saw significant improvement in ADL and WP throughout various timepoints (day 14: P ≤ 0.0211, day 28: P ≤ 0.0232, day 84/90: P ≤ 0.0378). The responder analysis indicated that ACO patients achieved a 30% reduction in DED symptom interference on “4 of 5 visual tasking measures (ie, driving, reading food labels, use of electronic devices, and television viewing),” the authors stated.¹

The results of the safety indicated that ACO was well-tolerated.¹ The treatment-emergent adverse events observed were mostly classified as mild in severity, including installation sight pain (n=293, of the 584 Tryptyr patients).¹ “There were no clinically meaningful changes in corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp examination results, intraocular pressure, or dilated fundoscopy,“ according to the study authors.¹

Limitations

Periman and the research team pointed out that the original COMET cohort studies were only meant to test the efficacy of Tryptyr on DED symptom treatment, not ADL and WP. “Thus, data should be considered exploratory and interpreted descriptively,” they stated. Additionally, data was only collected during the 3-month period the COMET studies took place, which means the results cannot be applied to an extended treatment. The metric used to assess ADL and WP was optimized for the visual alignment scale (VAS) researchers used during the study period. However, the use of this VAS limited their ability to conduct additional analysis. Also, since it was written by the authors, it is not validated in the same way as other DED and quality of life questionnaires, such as the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire. The authors also acknowledged other variables that can impact ADL and WP, such as age, employment status, and environment.¹

Impact

The results of this study indicate that Tyrptyr treatment relieves patients of debilitating symptoms of DED. The impact of DED on QoL and ability to perform work has not been extensively studied in peer-reviewed literature. While acknowledging that the study was exploratory, the study authors note that their findings provides evidence that Tryptyr treatment can help patients regain the ability to perform working tasks.¹

“The significant improvements observed in this analysis, including in electronic device use, overall visual tasking, and WP, are noteworthy given how important functional vision is to maintain a modern lifestyle and support optimal individual performance and QoL,“ the authors concluded.¹

References

1. Periman LM, Lappin CJ, McDonald MB, et al. Improvement in visual-tasking daily living activities and work productivity in patients with dry eye disease. Ophthal Ther. 2026;15:3025–3039. doi:10.1007/s40123-026-01421-1

2. Pattar GR, Wirta D, Jerkins G, Meng I, Senchyna M. Acoltremon ophthalmic solution 0.003% for signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2026;133(5). doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2025.09.018

3. Wolffsohn JS, Benitez-Del-Castillo JM, Loya-Garcia D, et al. TFOS DEWS III: Diagnostic methodology. Am J Opthalmol. 2025;279:387-450. doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2025.05.033

4. Morthen MK, Magno MS, Utheim TP, Hammond CJ, Vehof J. The work-related burden of dry eye. The Ocular Surface. 2023;28:30-36. doi:10.1016/j.jtos.2023.01.006