Clinical Effects of Punctal Occlusion Using Chromic Catgut

ABSTRACT

The treatment of dry eye patients is based on the management of the main causes of the disease. When the process of disease continues regardless of various conventional treatments, punctal occlusion can be employed. We used collagen implant. 1-0 and 2-0 chromic catgut in 33 eyes of dry eye patients to evalute the efficacy of punctal occlusion using chromic catgut. Symptoms(grade 0 to 3) were improved from the first week and persistently decreased in symptom grade during four weeks' follow-up period. The superficial corneal punctate erosion(grade 0 to 3) was improved after 2 weeks of the procedure in the whole 33 eyes(p<0.05). There was no superiority between collagen implant and chromic catgut. There was no improvement by score of the Schirmer test and the BUT in each group(p<0.05). We concluded that chromic catgut was easily applicable, very effective, inexpensive and showed less complication compared with collagen implant. We suggested that it could be used more widely in punctal occlusion in dry eye patients.