title: Autologous Serum Eye Drops Accelerate Epithelial Healing After LASEK.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of autologous serum on the rate of epithelial healing and clinical results after laser epithelial keratectomy (LASEK) for correction of myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty eyes of 15 patients received autologous serum drops (Study Group) while 30 eyes of 15 patients received conventional artificial tears (Control Group) after LASEK. LASEK was performed with 25-second application of 18% alcohol. Laser ablation was performed with the ESIRIS excimer laser (SCHWIND, Kleinostheim, Germany). Patients were seen daily until epithelial closure, and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Time to epithelial healing was the main outcome measure. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), manifest refraction, and haze were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative myopic spherical equivalent refraction was -2.98 ± 1.13 diopters (D) in the study group and -2.65 ± 1.01 D in the control group (p = 0.264). The mean time to epithelial healing was about 1 day shorter in the eyes receiving autologous serum than the eyes receiving conventional treatment (2.78 ± 0.40 days versus 3.73 ± 0.58 days, respectively) (p = 0.001). All eyes achieved 20/25 or better UCVA at 6 months. Over 90% of eyes were within ±0.50 D of emmetropia at 12 months in both groups. No significant difference was noted in the incidence of haze.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autologous serum eye drops seem to accelerate epithelial healing after LASEK, which may shorten the duration of early postoperative discomfort by about 1 day.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Gazi University Medical School , Ankara , Turkey .
authors.forename: Ahmet M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hondur
authors.affiliation: b Cankiri State Hospital , Cankiri , Turkey .
authors.forename: Hanife Tuba
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Akcam
authors.affiliation: c Sorgun State Hospital , Yozgat Turkey , and.
authors.forename: Emine Esra
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: d Kizilcahamam State Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yazici Eroglu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Gazi University Medical School , Ankara , Turkey .
authors.forename: Bahri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aydin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted; D054018:Lasers, Excimer / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D044967:Serum / Q000502:physiology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions
keywords: Autologous serum; LASEK; cornea; epithelial healing; laser epithelial keratectomy; surface ablation