CORRECTION OF OCULAR SURFACE CHANGES IN POST-LASIK PATIENTS

Purpose. To evaluate the efficacy of a fixed combination of sodium hyaluronate, D-panthenol, chondroitin sulfate sodium (SH+D+CS) and a tear substitute based on sodium hyaluronate (SH) in the correction of post-LASIK ocular surface changes. Material and methods. The study involved 60 patients with moderate myopia (before and after LASIK). In the group 1 (30 patients, 30 eyes) the SH+D+CS combination was instilled postoperatively 3-5 times daily, in the group 2 (30 patients, 30 eyes) SH – 3-5 times daily. Ophthalmological examinations, a detection and an evaluation of dry eye (DE) symptoms, tear film break up time (TFBT), optical coherence meniscometry, evaluation of xerosis index (XI) (lyssamine green staining) were performed in all the patients. Results. Significant ocular surface changes were identified in both groups in the postoperative period: DE symptoms, decrease of TFBT, decrease of lower tear meniscus height (LTMH), increase of XI. The DES therapy was effective in both groups. At the same time, significantly more pronounced increase of TFBT and LTMH (10 and 40 days after LASIK, p< 0.05) as well as a significantly more pronounced decrease of XI (40 days after LASIK, p< 0.05) were noted in the group 1. Conclusion. Thus, the application of the fixed combination of SH+D+CS allows to achieve significantly more pronounced improvement of ocular surface conditions in the post-LASIK status than the application of a tear substitute based on SH