Introduction

Carboxymethylcellulose is a cellulose derivative that consists of the cellulose backbone made up of glucopyranose monomers and their hydroxyl groups bound to carboxymethyl groups. It is added in food products as a viscosity modifier or thickener and emulsifier. It is also one of the most common viscous polymers used in artificial tears, and has shown to be effective in the treatment of aqueous tear-deficient dry eye symptoms and ocular surface staining . The viscous and mucoadhesive properties as well as its anionic charge allow prolonged retention time in the ocular surface . Sodium carboxymethylcellulose is the most commonly used salt.

Uses

Carboxymethylcellulose is a compound used as an ophthalmic lubricant.

Indicated for the symptomatic relief of burning, irritation and discomfort of the eyes due to dryness or exposure to wind or sun.

Associated Conditions

Dry Eyes
Ocular Irritation

Pharmacodynamics

In a randomized clinical study of patients with mild or moderate forms of eye dryness, ophthalmic treatment with sodium carboxymethylcellulose resulted in a diminished frequency of symptoms compared to the placebo group . Carboxymethylcellulose interacts with human corneal epithelial cells to facilitate corneal epithelial wound healing and attenuate eye irritation in a dose-dependent manner . It exhibits protective actions on the ocular surface in various applications; it mediates cytoprotective effects on the ocular surface when applied prior to contact lenses and reduces the incidence of epithelial defects during LASIK .

Mechanism of Action

Carboxymethylcellulose binds to the surface of corneal epithelial cells via its glucopyranose subunits binding to glucose receptors GLUT-1 . The residence time of carboxymethylcellulose bound to corneal cells is approximately 2 hours as indicated by a short-term binding assay . Binding of carboxymethylcellulose to the matrix proteins stimulated corneal epithelial cell attachment, migration, and re-epithelialization of corneal wounds .