Three months after Scope Health first introduced the OPTASE HYLO Forte Dry Eye Drops to the U.S. commercial market, eyecare providers (ECPs) are weighing in on their clinical perspectives of this latest addition to the company’s product lineup of dry eye management solutions.
The lineup: Glance President Jaclyn Garlich, OD, FAAO, spoke with two ECPs representing both sides of the proverbial eyecare aisle:
- Laura Periman, MD
- Founder and Director of Dry Eye Services, Periman Eye Institute, Seattle, Washington
- Mile Brujic, OD, FAAO
- Partner and Owner, Premier Vision Group, Northwest Ohio
First, let’s get a little refresher OPTASE.
The OPTASE HYLO Forte (OHF) Dry Eye Drops join Scope’s extensive OPTASE dry eye brand offering preservative-free (PF) ingredients for all forms of dry eye.
And as for the drop itself: Packaged in a multi-use, easy-to-dose drop bottle—with 300 drops available and a 6-month shelf life— this is the second iteration of the company’s original OPTASE HYLO Relief Eye Drop.
- See here for details on that—as well as other products included in the HYLO brand.
Tell me more about its purpose.
This “advanced artificial tear” is formulated to provide extra moisture and long-lasting dry eye symptom relief to help prevent further irritation for patients with:
- Moderate-to-severe dry eye
- Contact lens-related dryness
- Dryness pre-/post-surgery
How it works: Once topically applied, the drop spreads quickly and evenly (with minimal blur) across the eye. See here for proper application instructions.
So what’s in this formulation?
The multi-action PF formulation includes:
- Active glycerin to target ocular surface dryness and discomfort
- Enables hydration to support natural tears, which help to protect against friction caused by lens wear
- Scope’s highest concentration of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW HA)
- See how this supports the eye drop’s performance
Check out all its ingredients.
Explain the benefits of this additional moisture element for dry eye patients.
That’s where our key clinical experts offer their insights.
Dr. Periman added that the “secret sauce” of the drop’s formulation is in its blend of an active glycerin and HA. “You want it to hang onto itself, yet have good retention and uniformity across the ocular surface.”
- “That special combination is what gives it that ‘viscous-adaptive magic’ at the ocular surface temperature,” she said.
But we’ll get more into that in a moment …
So how exactly does OHF operate as a treatment for patients?
Both Drs. Periman and Brujic stressed its use as a supplemental therapeutic to help patients get to their endpoints quicker—particularly in situations such as ophthalmic surgery or with contact lens use.
Why: Both scenarios can reduce a patient’s tear production or alter their tear composition and leave them experiencing symptoms such as discomfort, irritation, burning, or eye fatigue.
Let’s look at each of these instances, starting with surgery.
Dr. Periman noted that in instances of clear-corneal cataract surgery or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)—where speed and healing are crucial—the use of an active glycerin-HA formulation such as OHF makes all the difference in postop recovery.
And this is particularly the case when compared to HA-alone formulations.
Any clinical data to back that up?
You bet there is. Dr. Periman referenced recent clinical research presented during the 2025 American Academy of Optometry (AAO) annual meeting.
The study: Evaluated OHF and other HA-based formulations (versus a phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]) in an in-vitro human corneal endothelial cell (HCEC) model.
The findings: While enhanced wound closure was demonstrated by all evaluated HA formulations after 24, 48, and 72 hours, the active glycerin-HA combination showed “the strongest performance” in the first 24 hours (the most critical time period).
- This indicates that OHF supports a faster onset of cellular health and hydration recovery post-damage.
Any other unique results from this analysis?
A major one regarding viscosity (which Dr. Periman hinted at earlier).
Specifically: While the viscosity of other HA formulations decreased (thinned out) as temperature increased (to body temperature once administered on the eye), OHF operated differently by showing resistance to such changes when under low shear.
In other words: Investigators found that, when administered, OHF creates a thermally activated viscoadaptive (TAVA) network by:
- Maintaining its protective thickness when warming up on the eye surface (at body temperature)
- Creating a cushioning mesh network that stays in place longer
Amazing. Next, let’s look at contact lens patients.
Dr. Brujic emphasized the difference he’s seen in how OHF lubricates his patients’ eyes—noting “how crisp the vision is shortly after” administration.
And while OHF’s active glycerin-HA properties are impressive in helping with hydration recovery post-damage, Dr. Brujic noted that—as a contact lens-prescribing ECP—a key question he asked was:
- How could it be used in treating a normal cornea to make the contact lens-wearing experience better?
And the finding?
Based on his clinical experience: Patients have dosed OHF prior to their lens application—a move that differs from how typical supplemental tear formulations are typically utilized, Dr. Brujic noted.
What this does: “It puts the contact lens on a bed of locked moisture to sit on and become a part of,” he said, helping patients wear their lenses better and more comfortably.
- Dr. Brujic added that the drops even help patients with “the most failed tear films”—such as presbyopes with more specific visual needs.
Do astigmatic wearers get better centration stability?
Great question. As Dr. Brujic explained: In instances of a dry corneal surface, “it’s not going to be blinking appropriately”—so “the mechanics that help guide the contact lens in place are going to be shifted” and different (blinking) turning mechanisms are actually being created.
- “So the more moisture-rich you can create the surface that the lens or that the lid is blinking over, the better you're going to keep it on the eye,” he said.
So, to answer the question …
Yes, according to Dr. Brujic—use of the OHF does lead to better hydration stability.
The reason: “Because it's adding an additional layer of moisture to the surface of the lens that gives (a contact lens patient) the ability to have a more natural blink over that lens that may have previously started to dry out prematurely,” he said.
Can I get an analogy to better understand this?
Dr. Periman has got it covered.