Autologous serum eye drops V/S Lubricating Eye Drops in Treatment of Dry Eye Disease

Abstract

Purpose – To compare efficacy of Autologous serum eye drops vs that of Lubricating eye drops in patients of Dry eye disease.Methods –
A single blind randomised control trial was conducted over a period of 6 months (from June 2022 to December 2022 after due approval from
departmental ethics committee.378 patients who visited our OPD with typical complaints of Dry eye disease (due to any cause) were given the
option of centrifuging a small quantity (10 ml) autologous blood and use eye drops prepared from its serum or go with conventional eye drops.90
patients chose autologous serum eye drops (Group A) where as rest were alternatively given CMC(0.5%w/v) and sodium hyaluronate (0.1 to
0.3%w/v) and patients were asked to follow-up after 15days,30 days and 90 days. Schirmer I test score, and tear film break up time (TF-BUT)
were used as efficacy parameters. Safety was monitored on all visits.Subjective Improvement in symptoms were duly noted. The scores of
Schirmer I test improved in both Gorup A as well as Group B, but a greater improvement was seen in Group A (at day 90: 22.75 ± 3.04 mm vs.
21.78 ± 3.36 mm, P: 0.04). The values of TF-BUT improved in both groups, the difference being statistically insignificant.
Conclusion- Autologous plasma was almost equally effacious with slightly more improvement seen in TBUT while CMC and Sodium
hyaluronate tear substitutes were equally efficacious and all three were safe in reducing symptoms of dry eye.