NOVEL THERAPEUTIC CONTACT LENS IN SJÖGREN SYNDROME

To report increased corneal bioavailability of allogenic serum when used in combinations with novel therapeutic soft contact lens in a patient with severe Sjögren’s syndrome- associated dry eye

Eye Clinic, University of Brescia. Brescia, Italy

A 57-year-old woman with a medical history of bilateral severe Sjögren’s syndrome-associated dry eye and previous amniotic membrane patch for autoimmune corneal perforation in her left eye was referred for left eye recurrence of progressive melting and pending perforation. After manual corneal trephination, full thickness transplant and sutured amniotic membrane patch, a novel therapeutic soft contact lens (Hyper-CL, EyeYon Medical, Ness Tziona, Israel) was fit.The patient was commenced in the left eye with topical corticosteroid, antibiotic, and allogenic serum eye drops. In the right eye the patient had silicone hydrogel bandage contact lens and was under same treatment of the left eye for previous endothelial keratoplasty. In order to evaluate the efficacy and increased corneal availability of drugs provided by novel therapeutic contact lens compared with silicone hydrogel soft contact lens, anterior segment OCT was performed. 

The anterior segment OCT showed a thicker meniscus of fluid and subsequent increase of trophic factors bioavailability in left eye compared with right eye . The fluid thickness was 386 micron in the left eye and 27 micron in right eye. Therefore, in case of severe and refractory dry-eye disease the combination of novel therapeutic soft contact lens and serum eye drops may be representing a valid therapeutic approach.