Topical drug may reduce recovery time for post-LASIK vision

Adding topical cyclosporine A to the standard postoperative treatment regimen may help speed visual recovery and improve final vision in patients undergoing LASIK, according to a retrospective study by California researchers.

"Recent studies have indicated that the status of the ocular surface and tear film before LASIK can impact surgical outcomes in terms of potential complications during and after surgery, refractive outcome, optical quality, patient satisfaction, and the severity and duration of dry eye after LASIK," the study authors said.

"Topical cyclosporine A 0.05% (Restasis, Allergan) has been shown to increase tear production and improve the quality of naturally produced tears," they said.

Roxana Ursea, MD, and colleagues investigated visual recovery times in 85 LASIK-treated eyes with no pre-existing dry eye. Specifically, 49 eyes received 0.05% topical cyclosporine A in addition to the standard postoperative drop regimen. These eyes were compared with a control group of 36 eyes that received the standard postop regimen alone.

At 1 week postop, 44.9% of eyes treated with cyclosporine achieved a visual acuity of 20/15 compared with 22.2% of control eyes, according to the study.

In addition, at 1 month follow-up, 75.5% of eyes in the cyclosporine-treated group and 63.9% of control eyes achieved a visual acuity of 20/20 or better. By 3 months, 81.6% of cyclosporine-treated eyes and 69.4% of control eyes achieved 20/20 or better vision.

Cumulatively, 73.5% of eyes treated with cyclosporine achieved 20/20 or better vision compared with 66.7% of eyes in the control group, the authors reported.

"Prospective, controlled clinical studies are required to adequately determine long-term efficacy of cyclosporine in optimizing visual acuity in post-LASIK patients," the authors said.

The study is published online ahead of print on the Web site for Journal of Refractive Surgery.