Abstract
Purpose :
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Phototherapeutic keratectomy vs Phototherapeutic keratectomy with simultaneous application of matrix ReGeneraTingAgent (RGTA, polycarboxymethyl glucose sulfate ) as a new regenerative therapy in patients with recurrent corneal erosion syndrome.
Methods :
Prospective, randomized study including 10 patients (20 eyes) with recurrent corneal erosion due to corneal dystrophy in which PTK in one eye (Group 1) vs PTK with simultaneous application of the RGTA (Cacicol) eye drops directly after PTK, before contact lens, in second eye (Group 2). Subsequently in Group 2 Cacicol was used once a week for 5 weeks. Additionally 0,15 % sodium hyaluronate preservative-free lubricating eye drops were used 6 times per day. PTK using excimer laser MEL 70 (Zeiss, Germany) were performed. The mean photoablation area was 6,5 mm. BCVA, time to complete healing, recurrence rate, corneal morphology in confocal microscopy and corneal thickness in anterior segment optical coherent tomography were assessed. The follow-up time was 6 months.
Results :
BCVA improvement was noted in 78% of cases in group 1 and 86% in group 2. In both groups the stopped recurrence of corneal erosion and enhanced matrix regeneration were observed. The average time of epithelialization was 2.35 and 1.73 days in group 1 and 2 respectively (p,0.05). Confocal microscopy images showed normal epithelium 7 days after the treatment in 77% of eyes in group 1 and 95% in group 2 (p<0.05); Regular shape of keratocyte below the photoablation area and no objective haze were noticed in 70% and 90% of eyes respectively. Stromal thickness did not change significantly. No systemic or local side effects of the treatment were reported.
Conclusions :
Regenerating agent (Cacicol) improves corneal reepithelialization. RGTA not only stopped the recurrence of corneal erosions but also enhanced matrix regeneration. It has appeared to be potentially useful, alternative, noninvasive therapeutic approach in patients with recurrent corneal erosion.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.