Ophthalmic formulation derived from silk protein

A method to wet the ocular surface of an eye comprising administering an effective amount of an aqueous ophthalmic composition to the ocular surface of the eye, the composition comprising:

• phosphate buffered saline, borate buffered saline, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, a demulcent, and a hydrolyzed fibroin protein;
• wherein the demulcent comprises about 0.2% to about 2% of the ophthalmic composition by weight, and the hydrolyzed fibroin protein comprises about 0.1% to about 10% of the ophthalmic composition by weight;
• wherein the demulcent is hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, dextran, gelatin, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, polysorbate 80, polyvinyl alcohol, povidone, or hyaluronic acid;
• wherein the ophthalmic composition increases the effectiveness of the spreading of the ophthalmic composition over the ocular surface compared to a corresponding composition that lacks the hydrolyzed fibroin protein;
• and the ophthalmic composition has a reduced surface tension with respect to the surface of the eye, compared to a corresponding composition that lacks the hydrolyzed fibroin protein;
• and
• wherein the hydrolyzed fibroin protein has been obtained by removal of sericin from silk protein and the hydrolyzed fibroin protein has been hydrolyzed in the presence of lithium bromide.