Role of preservative free steroids in treatment of inflammatory punctal stenosis guided by Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract

Abstract Background Acquired inflammatory punctual stenosis is a disease commonly presented with epiphora and most common cause is long term treatment with preservative containing topical eye drops. The inflammation causes a decrease in the clearance of the medication and preservative, and their continued use will result in more inflammation and stenosis, and therefore a longer clearance time resulting in a higher concentration and longer transit time, leading to a vicious cycle. Objective This study was conducted to compare between the effectiveness of topical preservative free steroids eye drops and preservative free artificial tears in treatment of punctal edema in Egypt. Methods This prospective comparative study comprised 40 eyes with punctal edema. Group A: 20 eyes Patients in this group received preservative free hydrocortisone 2.5% eye drops 4 times daily for 1 week with tapering over 3 weeks and followed up after 1 month. And after 3 months. Group B: 20 eyes Patients in this group received one of the preservative free artificial tears available in market 4 times/day for 1 month. All subjects were subjected to history taking, slit lamp examination, Flourescene dye disappearance test for diagnosis and follow up once/month for 3 months and measuring the punctual diameter pretreatment, after 1 month and after 3 months. From treatment. Results Comparing the two groups, the study found that there was no statistically significant difference found between the two studied groups regarding punctual diameter pretreatment, at 1 month and at 3 months and a highly statistically significant symptomatic improvement after 3 months in preservative free steroids group more than the preservative free artificial tears group. Conclusion The present study compared the effectiveness of topical preservative free steroid eye drops and preservative free artificial tears as regards increase in punctual diameter and symptomatic improvement and found a statistically significant increase in symptomatic improvement in preservative free steroid group more than the preservative free artificial tears group as after 3 months and statistically significant increase in punctual diameters in both groups in comparison to control group.