[The effects of a trehalose-based drug used after laser keratorefractive surgeries]

To analyze the effectiveness of artificial tear drops Thealoz (trehalose 3%) in the correction of dry eye syndrome (DES) after ReLEx SMILE and FEMTO LASIK keratorefractive surgeries.

The study included 20 patients (40 eyes) who underwent a keratorefractive surgery and were prescribed instillations of Thealoz artificial tear drops for the correction of dry eye syndrome. Patients were divided into 2 group: the 1^st group consisted of 10 patients who underwent ReLEx SMILE surgery, the 2nd group - 10 patients after FEMTO LASIK. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated at 1 and 3 months after the surgery using Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), changes in the anterior corneal epithelium (Oxford scale), and tear break-up time (Norn's test).

It was found that the use of artificial tear drops Thealoz regardless of the type of keratorefractive surgery helps reduce discomfort based on the OSDI questionnaire from 10.90±4.55 to 10.20±4.07 and 8.89±3.26 points by 1 and 3 months of the follow-up, respectively (p≤0.05). The degree of epitheliopathy according to the Oxford scale decreases from 0.73±0.75 to 0.25±0.43 points 3 months after the surgery (p≤0.05), which is accompanied by a significant increase in tear break-up time (Norn's test) from 11.18±1.19 to 12.43±1.03 and 12.45±1.03 seconds 1 and 3 months after treatment, respectively (p≤0,05).

Complex evaluation of the ocular surface has proved that artificial tear drops Thealoz is effective in reducing DES manifestations after keratorefractive surgery. The results clearly demonstrate that the drug helps increase stability of the tear break-up time, as well as contributes to the decrease in epitheliopathy and subjective discomfort sensations, giving grounds to widen its use in clinical practice.