Can a herbal mist soothe dry eyes? new study investigates

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion criteria: 1. At least one eye of subjects meets DED diagnostic criteria as the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS II); and 2. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)≥13 and \<33; and 3. The age range between years 18-80, no sex limitation; and 4. Symptoms of dry eye for at least 6 months; and 5. Can complete the questionnaires independently and understand Chinese or English. Exclusion criteria: 1. Had or currently suffering from other concomitant ocular surface diseases, including chronic conjunctivitis, ocular rosacea, cicatricial pemphigoid, graft-versus-host disease, limbal stem cell deficiency, and severe ocular allergy; 2. Received any refractive surgery and corneal surgery before, including corneal transplant; or any eye surgery in the past 6 months; 3. Receiving DED-related medications, including topical steroid eyedrops, topical antibiotics, topical cyclosporin A, and topical diquafosol; 4. Received intense pulsed laser (IPL) or vectored thermal pulsation (VTP) therapy in the past 12 months; 5. Received topical antiglaucomatous treatment in the past 12 months 6. Plans to use contact lenses during treatment and follow-up periods or used contact lenses 2 weeks before the baseline measurement and recruitment; 7. Had or currently suffering from severe cardiopulmonary disease, liver and kidney dysfunction, and severe blood system diseases; 8. Suffering from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD); 9. Had or currently suffering from specific respiratory diseases, e.g. emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial dilatation; 10. Has adverse reaction history to herbs used in this study before; 11. Whose TCM constitution is manifested as "yang-deficiency" or diagnosed by TCM practitioners that their TCM syndrome is not suitable for the atomization treatment; 12. Pregnancy, preparation for pregnancy, or lactation;