title: [Effectiveness of soft contact lenses in severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca treated with local immunosuppressive therapy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effectiveness of soft contact lenses in severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) treated with local immunosuppressive therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have examined 41 patients (60 eyes) with severe KCS, including 3 men (4 eyes) and 38 women (56 eyes) aged from 27 to 76 years. Group 1 consisted of 22 persons (30 eyes) who were prescribed cyclosporine А 0.05% instillations 2 times daily, artificial tears, and soft contact lenses. Group 2 consisted of 19 patients (30 eyes) who received instillations of cyclosporine А 0.05% 2 times daily for no less than 6 months and artificial tears. Apart from the standard ophthalmic examination, the assessment included Schirmer's test, tear break-up time test, fluorescein eye stain test, tear osmometry, Heidelberg tomography of the cornea, optical coherence tomography of the anterior segment with meniscometry, impression cytology of the conjunctiva, tear pH measurement, plating of the content of the conjunctival cavity for its microflora, measurement of the width of the palpebral fissure, and calculation of the ocular surface disease index (OSDI). Treatment outcomes were evaluated at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group 1, complete re-epithelialization of the cornea (confirmed by all the methods used) was achieved rather shortly, in 1-3 months, while in group 2 - in 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of soft contact lenses in addition to cyclosporine A instillation therapy promotes restoration of corneal and conjunctival epithelium, reduces treatment time, and improves quality of life for patients, thus, proving itself a safe and effective treatment of autoimmune KCS.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Eye Diseases, 11 A,B, Rossolimo St., 119021 Moscow, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Safonova
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Eye Diseases, 11 A,B, Rossolimo St., 119021 Moscow, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Gladkova
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Eye Diseases, 11 A,B, Rossolimo St., 119021 Moscow, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Boev
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Eye Diseases, 11 A,B, Rossolimo St., 119021 Moscow, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fedorov
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007638:Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D016572:Cyclosporine