Quantum Molecular Resonance May Relieve Symptoms of Dry Eye Disease
A double-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of quantum molecular resonance in treating dry eye disease (DED) symptoms found that patients receiving the intervention experienced improvement during a 2-year period compared with those on placebo.
DED is a common and often debilitating condition with limited effective treatment options. The study aimed to determine whether high-frequency electrotherapy could offer a new therapeutic modality for patients with DED. Quantum molecular resonance therapy was used due to its theoretical capacity to stimulate cellular mechanisms that may enhance tear production and stabilize the ocular surface.
The trial included 40 patients with DED, evenly divided between treatment and placebo groups. During a 4-week treatment course, patients received either the intervention or a placebo weekly, with primary and secondary outcomes measured to assess efficacy and safety. Primary efficacy was determined by changes in Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores, while secondary outcomes included meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) scores, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer test, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).
The intervention group’s mean OSDI scores decreased from 19.15 ± 10.3 to 10.5 ± 7.0 (P < .001), while the control group’s scores showed no significant change (14.4 ± 8.4 to 15.5 ± 8.6, P = .830). Additional improvements were observed in the intervention group’s MGD score (from 1.57 ± 1.2 to 0.8 ± 0.9, P = .006) and corneal staining score (P = .045), whereas no significant changes occurred in the placebo group for these measures. The intervention group also experienced improvement in corneal fluorescein staining (P = .045), which was not mirrored in the placebo group (P = .50). However, no significant intergroup differences were detected in TBUT, visual acuity, or Schirmer scores, indicating that the therapy’s effects may be primarily symptomatic rather than improving tear production or ocular surface health in ways detectable by these measures. No adverse events were reported.
The study was limited by its relatively small sample size and short follow-up period.
“High-frequency electrotherapy may have a positive effect on symptoms and signs of dry eye,” the study authors concluded. “This emerging technology may become part of the arsenal of therapeutic modalities for this condition.”
Reference
Shemer A, Altarescu A, Nusbaum L, et al. Quantum molecular resonance effects on patients with dry eye disease. Cornea. 2024;43(9):1144-1149. doi:10.1097/ICO.0000000000003443.