点眼容器の違いが高粘度懸濁性点眼液（アゾルガ^®配合懸濁性点眼液）の使用感に与える影響

抄録

The characteristics of eye drop (ophthalmic solution) containers are reported to be associated with the appropriate use of eye drops. Since patients complain that AZORGA^® Combination Ophthalmic Suspension (AZORGA^® hereafter) requires more push-out force than other eye drops, there is a possibility that the container of AZORGA^® is less usable than other commercially available eye drop containers in Japan. Therefore, we compared the Alconpharma container used for AZORGA^® and 3 representative containers as controls, which are available in large quantities in Japan. In addition, a subjective usability questionnaire was performed in healthy adults, and the influences of containers on the subjective usability of high-viscosity eye drop suspensions, such as AZORGA^®, were evaluated.

The Alconpharma container showed a significantly higher squeeze force necessary to push out 1 drop of AZORGA^® and a slightly higher variability in the squeeze force among instillations than that in the other 3 containers. In association with these characteristics of the containers, the subjective usability scores for “container's hardness during instillation” and “easiness of pushing 1 drop out” were significantly lower for the Alconpharma container than for the other 3 containers. These results suggest that not only the characteristics of the AZORGA^® solution (high viscosity and suspension) but also those of its container affect the subjective usability of eye drop products.