Letter: Publication rebuttal statement from I-Med Pharma Inc

In reference to two recent articles published in the February and March issues of Optician, entitled, Osmolarity: an overview by Dr. Marian Elder & Professor Sruthi Srinivasan and Effective new slitlamp techniques for tear hyperosmolarity in dry eye by Steve Meynell & Clare Privato, I-MED Pharma would like to correct some erroneous and misleading information.

The articles specifically state, ‘The I-Pen is a newer point-of-care tear osmometer that uses electrical impedance technology, but studies have shown it not to be as accurate in separating normal eyes from dry eyes as the TearLab.’

This statement is erroneous and has no basis for substantiation. This information was derived from two studies questioning the reliability of the I-Pen, namely the Rocha/Chan study and the Nolfi study. In the Rocha/Chan study the I-Pen was tested in an incorrect manner, resulting in inaccurate findings. I-MED’s contention that the study protocol did not use the I-Pen device appropriately and that the I-Pen data is inaccurate and unusable is supported by the following facts: