Autologous serum eye-drops and enhanced epithelial healing time after photorefractive keratectomy.

The aim of the study is to test whether use of autologous serum eye-drops can provide earlier epithelial healing following the application of photorefractive keratectomy

Autologous serum eye-drops and enhanced epithelial healing time after photorefractive keratectomy

BackgroundThe aim of the study is to test whether use of autologous serum eye-drops can provide earlier epithelial healing following the application of photorefractive keratectomy. MethodSixty patients (60 eyes) underwent photorefractive keratectomy for myopia. Thirty eyes received autologous serum drops (Study group) while 30 eyes received conventional artificial tears (Control group) after photorefractive keratectomy. An 8 mm epithelial opening was prepared with the application of 18 per cent alcohol for 20 seconds. Photorefractive keratectomy was performed using ESIRIS excimer laser (SCHWIND, Kleinostheim, Germany) with an optic zone of 6.5 mm. Total duration of epithelial healing was monitored as the main outcome measure. The comparisons were done with chi-square test and independent samples t-test. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. ResultsPreoperative myopic spherical refraction and ablation depths were similar in the study and control groups. The mean duration for epithelial healing was about one day shorter in the eyes receiving autologous serum compared to the eyes receiving conventional treatment (2.2 0.25 days versus 3 +/- 0 days, p = 0.001). All eyes achieved 6/7.5 or better uncorrected visual acuity in six months. In both groups, more than 90 per cent of eyes were within +/- 0.50 D of emmetropia in 12 months. No significant difference was noted for the incidence of +1 haze. ConclusionUse of autologous serum drops reduces epithelial healing duration following surface ablation for two days

Intravitreal bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity in infants ineligible for laser therapy

Background/ aim: To evaluate refractive and strabismic results and the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) ineligible for laser therapy. Materials and methods: Thirty-nine eyes of 20 consecutive infants with high-risk prethreshold ROP (11 infants with Zone I and 9 infants with Zone II disease) who were ineligible for laser therapy due to systemic and/ or ocular conditions were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab. Recurrent retinopathy was treated with laser ablation. The final follow-up examination was performed at 29.8 +/- 6.0 months of corrected age. Results: All eyes responded to the initial treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab. ROP recurred in 8 eyes (36\%) with initial Zone I disease and in only 2 eyes (11\%) with initial Zone II disease, which were successfully treated with laser ablation. No eye developed myopia higher than 5.0 diopters. At 2.5 years, the Zone I eyes that had received laser treatment appeared to be more myopic than the Zone I eyes treated only with intravitreal bevacizumab (P = 0.038). A tendency for a higher incidence of strabismus after additional laser therapy was also noted, but was not significant (P = 0.22). Conclusion: Avoidance or even deferral of laser ablation with intravitreal bevacizumab may lead to less myopization in ROP compared with conventional laser treatment