Purpose  To evaluate the quantitative locator for conjunctiva resection when used as an instrument for the treatment of conjunctivochalasis (CCh).
Methods  Poly β-hydroxyethyl methacrylate resin / HEMA (water gel) was used as the material to make the quantitative locator which is designed to suit the specific patient. 46 patients with bilateral symptomatic CCh were included in this prospective study. Of the patients, while the right eye underwent the popularly used crescent-shaped conjunctiva resection (Group І), the left eye was treated with conjunctiva resection assisted by the quantitative locator (Group П). International Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), scores of remnant conjunctiva fold, complications and conjunctival cut healing, height of tear meniscus, tear break-up time (BUT), and time of surgery were evaluated. Tasting chloromycetin test (TCT) was used to evaluate how the lacrimal duct worked.
Results OSDI was significantly lower in Group П (8.82±2.36) than that in Group І（14.67.3±2.21）(t = 12.22, p <0.01). Conjunctiva fold remained in Group II was less than that in Group I. Scores of remnant conjunctiva fold in Group I were significantly higher than that in Group II（t=31.8, p<0.01）.While evaluation scores of conjunctival cut healing in Group I were lower than that in Group II, scores of complication in group I were significantly higher than that in Group II at 8 weeks after surgery (t = 89.60, p <0.01). There was no significant difference in eyes with normal BUT（Х²= 0.031, p=0.985）between the two groups, as it was in eyes with positive TCT(Х² = 0.14, p = 0.93) and in eyes with normal height of tear meniscus（Х²= 0.48, p=0.78). Mean surgery time was significantly shorter in Group II (17.11±2.08 minutes) than that in Group I (25.22±4.78 minutes) (t=13.84, p<0.01).
Conclusion Quantitative locator can be used as an effective, safe, and less time-consuming instrument to facilitate conjunctival excision for symptomatic CCh treatment.