Anti-
glaucoma eye drop treatment often induces
dry eyes and can lead to poor medication adherence. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 3%
diquafosol sodium eye drops on tear function and the ocular surface epithelium in Sod1-/- mice
after treatment with anti-
glaucoma eye drops. The mice were divided into four groups: group 1, control group; group 2, anti-
glaucoma eye drop; group 3, anti-
glaucoma eye drops followed by a
secretagogue eye drop (3%
diquafosol); and group 4, simultaneous anti-
glaucoma and
secretagogue eye drop. Mice underwent assessments of tear quantity, tear film breakup time, and vital staining score. Mice in groups 3 and 4 showed significantly better tear stability and lower corneal staining scores than mice in group 2 after
eye drop instillations (p < 0.05). Mice in group 4 showed significantly better tear stability, lower corneal staining scores, and higher goblet cell densities than those in group 1 after
eye drop instillations (p < 0.05). The conjunctival epithelium showed stratification and abundance of Muc5AC-positive goblet cells in group 4, whereas thinning with desquamation was observed with a few goblet cells in group 2. Thus, simultaneous administration of 3%
diquafosol sodium eye drops with topical anti-
glaucoma drops showed favorable effects on tear stability and the corneal epithelium against the ocular surface toxicity inflicted by the anti-
glaucoma eye drops.