title: Application of umbilical cord serum eyedrops after laser epithelial keratomileusis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of umbilical cord serum eyedrops after laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients (120 eyes) with myopia who underwent LASEK were studied. Thirty-two patients (64 eyes) were treated with 20% umbilical cord serum eyedrops in combination with conventional treatment (group A), and 28 patients (56 eyes) received conventional treatment only (group B). Epithelial healing time was analysed. Visual acuity, refraction, haze score (0-4) and tear film and ocular surface parameters were evaluated at 1, 2, 4 and 12 weeks after LASEK. The concentration of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in tears was measured with ELISA at 1 week after LASEK.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in visual acuity and refraction were found between groups. The mean time to epithelial healing was 3.53 ± 1.19 days in group A and 3.91 ± 1.41 days in group B (p = 0.18). The mean haze scores at 2 and 4 weeks were 0.59 ± 0.80 and 0.31 ± 0.54 in group A and 1.06 ± 0.91 (p = 0.02) and 0.69 ± 0.78 (p = 0.03) in group B. Four and 12 weeks after LASEK, tear film break-up time was longer and keratoepitheliopathy score was lower in group A compared with group B. The mean concentration of TGF-β1 was lower in group A compared with group B (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Application of 20% umbilical cord serum eyedrops in addition to conventional treatment after LASEK can reduce early postoperative corneal haze and improve tear film and ocular surface parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Korea. kcyoon@jnu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Kyung-Chul
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Han-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jung-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000187:drug effects; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C042434:tear proteins