Zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (polyCBMA) decreases desiccating damage to corneal epithelial cells

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common disorder. The first-line treatment typically involves lubricating eye drops, which, however, are less effective for evaporative DED, implying the need for a new artificial tear component. This study investigates whether zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (polyCBMA) protects the cornea from desiccation. Human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) pretreated with zwitterionic polyCBMA were shifted to desiccative conditions with minimal medium coverage for evaluation of their viability. Additionally, zwitterionic polyCBMA was applied to a hyperevaporative animal model, and the corneal epithelium was evaluated by fluorescein staining. We found that HCECs incubated with zwitterionic polyCBMA were more resistant to desiccating stress. Furthermore, topical pretreatment of the cornea with polyCBMA significantly decreased fluorescein punctate staining, indicating less corneal epithelial damage. In conclusion, zwitterionic polyCBMA could protect the corneal epithelium from desiccating damage, highlighting its clinical value as a supplement in eye drops for patients with DED.