The effect of autologous serum eyedrops in the treatment of severe dry eye disease: a prospective randomized case-control study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the autologous serum eyedrops in the treatment of severe dry eye patients.

DESIGN: Prospective randomized case-control study.

METHODS: Thirty-seven eyes of twenty severe dry eye patients without punctal occlusion were enrolled in this study. After 2 weeks of washout, they were randomly assigned to two groups. Group A patients used only preservative-free artificial tears, and group S patients used only autologous serum eyedrops. We evaluated the results of Schirmer test, fluorescein and rose bengal staining scores, tear film breakup time (BUT), and subjective symptom scores before and 2 weeks after treatment.

RESULTS: Mean BUT and fluorescein and rose bengal staining scores, as well as subjective symptom scores, showed significant improvement in the patients assigned to autologous serum eyedrops compared with subjects assigned to preservative-free artificial tears after 2 weeks of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Autologous serum eyedrops were found effective in the treatment of severe dry eye disease, as evidenced by improvement of tear stability and ocular surface vital staining scores.