Effect of 3% Diquafosol Tetrasodium on Tear Film Stability after Laser-assisted in situ Keratomileusis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of 3% diquafosol tetrasodium (DQ) after laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK). METHODS: This prospective randomized study included 150 eyes in 75 patients who were scheduled for LASIK. The patients in the 3% diquafosol tetrasodium (DQ) group (37 patients, 74 eyes) were instructed to apply one drop of DQ, six times daily post-op, while the patients in the 0.3% sodium hyaluronate (HA) group (38 patients, 76 eyes) were instructed to apply one drop of HA, six times daily post-op. A Schirmer test, tear film break-up time (BUT), corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining score (FLSS), and ocular surface disease index (OSDI) were evaluated pre-op and at 1, 4, and 12 weeks post-op while the tear osmolarity was evaluated pre-op and at 4 and 12 weeks post-op. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding Schirmer test results or tear osmolarity and conjunctival FLSS. The BUT was significantly higher in the DQ group at 1 week and 12 weeks post-op. The corneal FLSS was significantly lower in the DQ group at 1 week, 4 weeks and 12 weeks post-op. The OSDI was significantly lower in the DQ group at 1 week post-op. CONCLUSIONS: Use of 3% diquafosol tetrasodium after surgery improved ocular dryness and increased the tear film stability.

Epithelial Wound Healing after Cataract Surgery Comparing Two Different Topical Fluoroquinolones

PURPOSE: To compare the epithelial wound healing response of two preservative-free fluoroquinolones, moxifloxacin and levofloxacin, in patients who underwent cataract surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective, evaluator-masked, randomized clinical trial, 59 eyes of 50 patients who underwent cataract surgery were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive moxifloxacin 0.5% (n=32 eyes) or levofloxacin 0.5% (n=27 eyes). All patients instilled moxifloxacin or levofloxain four times daily for 1 week prior to surgery and 2 weeks after surgery. The epithelial wound healing status in the corneal incision site was scanned with a raster scan mode of fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT). The number of eyes showing epithelial defect images and average number of corneal epithelial defect cuts per eye were compared between groups. All patients were evaluated on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, and 10. RESULTS: On postoperative days 1, 2, and 3, the number of eyes showing epithelial defects in FD-OCT was not statistically different (all p>0.05). The average number of corneal epithelial defect cuts was also not statistically different between the two groups (all p>0.05). No eyes showed epithelial defects on postoperative day 10 in either group. CONCLUSION: There were no differences on epithelial wound healing comparing these two different fluoroquinolones at the incision site of cataract surgery.