Posters

Corneal epithelialization after PRK using sodium hyaluronate/dexpanthenol preservative free eye drops

Poster Details

First Author: A. Dukić CROATIA

Co Author(s):    I. Dekaris   N. Milicic                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Evaluate the effect of sodium hyaluronate (0,15%) / dexpanthenol (2%) preservative free eye drops vs sodium hyaluronate (0,15%) artificial tears with preservative on corneal epithelial healing after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for correction of myopic and myopic-astigmatic defects . Efficacy was the evolution of corneal re-epithelialization.

Setting:

Specialty Eye Hospital, Svjetlost, Croatia

Methods:

40 eyes were enrolled in the study, randomly allocated into standard therapy plus sodium hyaluronate (0,15%) artificial tears with preservative - AT (20 eyes), or standard therapy plus sodium hyaluronate (0,15%) / dexpanthenol (2%) preservative free eye drops – Bepanthol, Bayer (20 eyes). Checks were carried out preoperatively and at days 1, 3, and 5 of the follow-up. Six eyes dropped out (four in Bepanthol group, two in AT group) for reasons unrelated to the study.

Results:

On first day the diameter of disepithelialized area was 8.125 mm+/- 0,9 (mean+/-SD) in AT and 8,08 mm +/- 0,28 in Bepanthol group. On day 3 a complete corneal re-epithelialization was found in 12 out of 16 (75%) eyes of Bepanthol group and in 11 out of 18 (61%) eyes of AT. On day 5 of follow-up, all eyes appeared to be completely re-epithelialized.

Conclusions:

The data of the study have shown that after PRK, Bepanthol stimulates corneal epithelium regeneration. Bepanthol administration six times a day is well tolerated by patients during the re-epithelialization stage. A much larger clinical study should be performed in order to prove the results obtained in this pilot study.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE