Autologous serum eye drops for post-chemical injuries and corneal epithelial defects

Aim: To evaluate success rate (efficacy, safety) in treatment of post-chemical injuries and corneal defects using autologous serum eye drops. Material and Methods: Authors reviewed 93 patients (116 eyes) hospitalized in Clinic of ophthalmology from 2010 to 2013, who had post-causoma corneal defects that were nonresponsive to conventional treatment and were treated with serum therapy. Authors correlated time of epithelialization of defects with rate of epithelial healing. Results: Authors investigated 93 patients (52 males, 41 females; aged 18 - 74) for treatment of corneal defects. Application of autologous serum therapy 56 (48.28%) of 116 eyes was healed in an average time of 4 weeks. Among 116 eyes, epithelial defects healed in 4 (3.45%) within 1 week, in additional 17 (14.65%) in 1-2 weeks, totalling 31 (26.72%) within 3 weeks. Five eyes (4.31%) completely healed at 5 week; three eyes (2.59%) had subsequent healing of epithelial defect at 6 week; 56 eyes completely healed within one month, and the remaining eight eyes healed within 1.5 month. Conclusion: Using serum therapy, it was managed to reduce time of healing from eleven weeks, which were necessary just couple years ago (before 2010) to four (maximum six) weeks to complete healing which are necessary today. © 2013 Janicijevic-Petrovic MA