ABSTRACT
Objective: To compare the efficacy of 0.05% cyclosporine eye drops with 0.1% fluromethalone eye drops on keratoconjunctivitis sicca [dry eye disease]
Study Design: Randomized controlled trial
Place and Duration of Study: Ophthalmology department of HIT Hospital Taxila, from Oct 2014 to May 2015
Material and Methods: The patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca [KCS] were selected from outpatient and divided in two treatment groups. The dry eye disease was defined according to criteria set by International task force for dry eye disease [ITF]. The group I was treated with 0.05% cyclosporine drops while group-II was treated with 0.1% fluromethalone eye drops three times a day after informed written consent. The patients were followed up after three months and six months
Results: At the start of treatment 94 patients were placed in two treatment groups [n=47 in each group] and all the patients with KCS were graded according to severity following rules set by ITF. There were 46 patients in grade III [severe] KCS and 20 patients in grade IV [very severe] KCS. At the end of study only 24 were in grade II [moderate] KCS and 2 in grade III KCS. Of these only 5 patients in grade II and none in grade III were in treatment group I [cyclosporine]. The remaining 19 patients in grade II and 5 patients in grade III KCS belonged to group II [fluromethalone]
Conclusion: Cyclosporine eye drops are better than fluromethalone in treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca