Abstract
Purpose :
To report the Therapeutic Effects of Contact Lens-Shaped Amniotic Membrane transplantation (CL-AMT) in Ocular Surface Diseases such as Pterygium and moderate-to-severe Dry Eye Disease (DED).
Methods :
In this study, we used AM employed crosslinking techniques to transform the membrane from a 2-dimensional disc shape to a 3-dimensional contact lens shape. Following CL-AMT performed on 176 patients (186 eyes) with moderate-to-severe DED and pterygium, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical effects regarding anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and anti-angiogenic effects of the AM.
8 patients (8 eyes) diagnosed with moderate-to-severe DED treated with CL-AMT were examined. Corneal staining score (Oxford scale), Ocular Surface Diseases Index (OSDI), tear film break-up time (TF-BUT), Schirmer I test, and improvement in subjective ocular discomfort were assessed at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months of follow-up and compared to the baseline measurements.
The 168 patients (178 eyes) diagnosed with pterygium were divided into two groups: 95 patients (101 eyes) who underwent pterygium excision surgery followed by CL-AMT, and 73 patients (77 eyes) who did not undergo CL-AMT. After 1 day, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-surgery, slit-lamp microscopy examinations were conducted. The recurrence rates of pterygium between the two groups at 6 months post-surgery were compared using the chi-square test.
Results :
As results of CL-AMT in patients with moderate-to-severe DED, the corneal staining scores were significantly reduced from 4.88±0.35 at the baseline to 1.86±0.69 at 1 week, 3.67±1.03 at 1 month, and 2.67±1.21 at 3 months. The OSDI improved from 79.48±17.02 at baseline to 62.80±15.85 at 3 months. The TF-BUT was significantly increased from 1.71±1.50 at baseline to 7.20±2.49 at 1 week. The Schirmer value improved from 3.67±3.44 at baseline to 4.75±0.50 at 3 months.
In the group of patients who underwent pterygium resection with CL-AMT, there was no recurrence requiring reoperation. In contrast, in the group that did not undergo CL-AMT, 3 cases (3.9%) of recurrence were observed. Additionally, at the 1 month post-surgery, regression of fibrovascular proliferation was observed in 7 cases in AMT group.
Conclusions :
CL-AMT was effective in treating moderate-to-severe DED and achieving a symptom improvement and suppressing the recurrence of pterygium.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.