The effect of recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor on the LASIK-induced neurotrophic epitheliopathy and the recovery of corneal sensation after LASIK

Abstract

To observe the effects of recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor (r-bFGF) on the LASIK-induced neurotrophic epitheliopathy (LINE) and the recovery of corneal sensation after LASIK. Prospective clinical study. LINE was found in 60 patients out of 1154 cases of LASIK (5.2%). The 60 cases were randomly divided into three groups, each group including 20 cases. Group A was treated with r-bFGF eye drops (fusion protein), four times a day. Group B was treated with r-bFGF eye-gel, four times a day. Group C was treated with 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops as a control. The treatment started since LINE was diagnosed. The typical clinical finding of LINE was punctate corneal erosion, which could be evaluated by slit-lamp examination and fluorescein staining. Masked Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer was performed in the central cornea one week preoperatively and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. (1) The average times of corneal erosion occurrence were (28.57 ± 37.48) d, (30.82 ± 35.08) d and (16.84 ± 23.70) d in group A, group B and group C respectively. No significant differences were observed among the three groups (F = 1.456, P = 0.238), and the average times of corneal erosion disappearance were (7.19 ± 8.23) d, (2.86 ± 1.73) d and (7.00 ± 6.40) d in group A, group B and group C, respectively. The punctate corneal erosion cured significantly faster in r-bFGF eye-gel treated group (P(1) = 0.007, P(2) = 0.014). (2)The loss of corneal sensation was greatest at 1 week after LASIK in all the three groups and improved at all subsequent examination time points. The corneal sensation gradually recovered through 12 months observation, but the r-bFGF eye-gel treated group showed faster recovery in comparison with the other two groups, had no statistic different at 6 month compared with pre-operation values (F = 0.55, P = 0.064). The r-bFGF eye-gel is effective for both punctate corneal erosion (especially for severe LINE) and recovery of corneal sensation following LASIK surgery.