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This abstract is assigned to session AOB Free Papers

Presentation type	Oral presentation
Title	Neurotrophic keratitis: where do we stand?

Purpose	Neurotropic keratitis is a rare condition marked by a decreased or absent corneal sensitivity. The cornea becomes susceptible to developing persistent epithelial defects, ulcers and other complications. The management of NK aims to facilitate corneal epithelial healing and can be challenging, as presentation is often late due to the asymptomatic nature of the disease. This systematic review aims to understand the utility of insulin eye drops as a treatment for neurotrophic keratitis.
Methods	A literature search was implemented in Medline (Pubmed), Embase and Web Of Science. All published papers written in English, Spanish or Dutch from 2005 until July 2023 were included.
Results	The search yielded 13 original papers. All included patients had neurotrophic epithelial defects ranging from 3,8 mm2 to 144 mm2. After treatment with topical insulin, most of the epithelial defects showed a complete epithelization. Various concentrations, ranging from 1IU/ml to 100IU/ml, and types of insulin were used. The studies also varied in the type of vehicle used in the preparation of insulin drops Two randomized controlled trials demonstrated that topical insulin drops were more effective than conventional treatment with artificial tears or autologous serum. All included studies, except of two, reported the absence of local or systemic side effects.
Conclusion	Topical insulin emerges as a promising and effective treatment for neurotrophic keratitis. It promotes healing of neurotrophic epithelial defects and exhibits advantages over the current treatment options. However, further investigation is needed.
Conflict of interest	No

Authors 1

Last name	WOUTERS
Initials	C
Department	UZLeuven
City	Leuven

Authors 2

Last name	Saelens
Initials	I
Department	UZLeuven
City	Leuven

Authors 3

Last name	DELBEKE
Initials	H
Department	UZLeuven
City	Leuven