Sodium hyaluronate is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan found in connective tissues like the eye. It has viscoelastic properties that allow it to form a protective coating on the eye surface between blinks and easily spread during blinking to lubricate the eye. As an ocular lubricant, sodium hyaluronate increases tear film stability and residence time on the eye. It mimics natural tear mucin, retains water, promotes wound healing, and protects against oxidative damage through its antioxidant effects. These properties provide soothing relief from dry eye symptoms.

1. SODIUM HYALURONATE
A PRESENTATION BY SURYA PRAJAPAT
OPHTHALMIC SOLUTION

2. What is sodium hyaluronate?
1. It is a glycosaminoglycan present in the connective
tissue.
2. It is a chain of disaccharide with a very high
molecular weight.
3. Sodium hyaluronate is found naturally in the form
of sodium salt, forming a highly viscous fluid with
excellent wetting and lubricant properties.

3. SH is naturally present in the umbilical cord,
In the vitreous humor in the eye,
In synovial fluid, etc.
Present in the eye :
- tears
- lacrimal tissue
- corneal epithelium.

4. Properties of Sodium Hyaluronate
Sodium hyaluronate has the following properties:
1. Visco-elastic Nature – Lubrication
2. Mucoadhesion
3. Mucomimesis
4. Water Retention
5. Wound Healing
6. Free radical scavenging.
7. Wetting Property

5. Visco-elastic Nature - Lubrication
Sodium Hyaluronate contains visco-elastic
property.
Thus provide lubrication for a longer time.

6. What is Visco-elastic Behaviour?
Viscoelastic Property combines :
viscous properties of a liquid
+
elastic properties of a solid
depending on the shear stress applied.
How does it work in the eye???

7. BEFORE BLINK
When the eye is open
the SH molecules are
not subject to a shear
stress, and form a
randomly tangled
meshwork that creates
a viscous, stable, long-
lasting and protective
coating on the surface
of the eye.
Between blinks SH forms a long-lasting protective coating

8. DURING BLINK
During blinking, shear stress
causes the SH molecules in the
solution to align in parallel with
one another. As a result, the
solution becomes less viscous,
more elastic and spreads easily
over the corneal surface. In
addition, this reduction in
viscosity prevents the SH from
being cleared from the eye,
providing better comfort than
purely viscous fluids. While blinking, SH molecules align and spread easily over
the cornea

9. Therefore When used as an ocular lubricant,
the unique viscoelastic properties of SH
increase the stability of the pre-corneal tear
film and maximize tear film residence time.2, 3
Thus Provide Lubrication for Longer time.
2. Johnson ME et al. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2006; 244: 109-12.
3. 3 Snibson GR et al. Eye 1990; 4: 594-602.

10. Adherence to the mucin layer (Muco-adhesivity)
SH molecules adhere well to
the mucin layer of the
precorneal tear film,
providing an effective and
long-lasting coating of the
cornea.
# Saettone MF et al. Int J Pharm 1989; 51: 203-12.

11. Similar behaviour as the natural mucin layer
(Mucomimesis)
It mimics the natural mucin layer of the tear film, which is done
closely by SH in Fusion Fresh because,
SH possesses viscoelastic properties similar to those of the mucin
layer of the tear film.

12. Water retention
As a result of its coiled structure and large hydrophilic domains, SH
attracts and retains a large amount of water,6 and therefore possesses
the ability to reduce water evaporation.7
Following instillation, SH solutions effectively moisturize the eye surface
and prolongs the beneficial wetting effect over time.
6. Balazs EA, Band P.
Cosmetics Toiletries 1984;
99: 65-72.
7. Nakamura M et al.
Cornea 1993; 12: 433-6.

13. Healing of superficial keratitis
The biomechanical properties of SH prevent further damage to
the cornea by creating a protective coating on the corneal
surface.
In addition, SH has been shown to have a beneficial effect in
the healing of superficial keratitis by promoting rapid cell
migration.*
* Gomes JAP et al. Br J Ophthalmol 2004; 88: 821-25.

14. Free radical scavenging
SH molecules have been shown to have antioxidant
properties* and therefore effectively protect the
ocular tissues against oxidative lesions caused by free
radicals.
* Debbasch C et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2002; 43: 3409-15.

15. Wetting property
The main characteristic that distinguishes sodium hyaluronate from
other wetting agents such as HPMC, carmelose, pvp, etc. is that its
water-retention capacity is practically independent from ambient
humidity (moisture in surrounding).
This explains its property of maintaining constant wetting capacity
even with significant changes in ambient humidity.
The result of this high level of wettability is that tear transparency
remains stable, thereby increasing comfort.

16. Relief in Dry eye conditions
Fusion Fresh eye drops provide soothing relief from the symptoms of
dry eyes, such as soreness, irritation or a gritty sensation.
These may be caused by your eye not producing enough tears to
keep the eye moist, or by things such as certain medical conditions
or treatments, prolonged use of computer screens (where you tend
to blink less and thus not lubricate the eyes sufficiently), or drying
atmospheric conditions such as air-conditioning, central heating or
atmospheric pollution.

17. Thank you.
A PRESENTATION BY SURYA PRAJAPAT