AIM: To evaluate the curative effects of tacrolimus on vernal keratoconjunctivitis(VKC).

METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.Sixteen ambulatory patients from department of ophthalmology in West China Hospital of Sichuan University were randomly divided into drug treatment group and control group. Patients in treatment group were treated with tacrolimus eye drops, and control group with the basic placebo eye drops. Observation period of the trial was 28 days after taking the drops. The signs and symptoms were recorded and marked respectively. Total variation of ocular signs before or after therapy was main therapeutic index but subjective symptoms were the secondary index.

RESULTS: Comparison in groups: there were significant differences on the scores of signs and symptoms before and after medication. After the drug treatment group, consciousness of each period symptom score was lower than before the medication, and over time, symptom score gradually reduced, the difference was statistically significant, but the control group after the medication had no statistically significant differences between different periods. Compared between the groups: There were no significant differences of subjective symptoms and signs before and after medication at the first review, but there were statistically significant differences during the other two reviews. Score variation(scores before or after medication)had no significant differences in the first review but had it in the following two times.

CONCLUSION:Tacrolimus can be used to improve the signs and symptoms of VKC, especially for the severe patients who are nonresponse to the anti-anaphylaxis drops. Tacrolimus can be quick and excellent to improve the effects, so it can be applied into clinic.