Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of cyclosporine 0.05% (CsA) eye drops in patients with Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) who had chronic dry eye.
Design: Prospective noncomparative interventional case series.
Methods: Thirty cases of SJS patients who developed dry eye defined by symptoms and signs, including the Schirmer I test, the fluorescein clearance test (FCT), and corneal staining (fluorescein and Rose Bengal staining) were treated with CsA 0.05% eye drops twice daily for 6 months. Dry eye symptoms, eye injection, tear break up time (TBUT), and corneal staining were evaluated before and after the treatment at 0, 2, 4, and 6 months. The Shirmer I test and FCT were evaluated at 0 and 6 months.
Results: Seventeen patients (56.67%) completed the study. Eight patients (26.67%) withdrew from the study as a result of intolerable side effects of CsA, which included pain, redness, and eyelid swelling. Five cases were lost in follow up. All 17 cases demonstrated significant improvement in dry eye symptoms, conjunctival injection, corneal staining, Schirmer I test, and FCT (P<0.05).
Conclusions: CsA 0.05% eye drops might be beneficial in the treatment of chronic dry eye associated with SJS.