To compare the efficacy of topical umbilical cord serum drops (UCS) and amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) in acute ocular chemical burns.

Randomized controlled trial.

setting: Tertiary care hospital. study population: Forty-five eyes with acute chemical burns of grade III, IV, and V (Dua's classification) presenting within the first week of injury were randomized into 3 groups (15 each). Patients with perforation/impending corneal perforation were excluded from the study. intervention: Groups 1, 2, and 3 received UCS with medical therapy (MT), AMT with MT, and MT alone, respectively. main outcome measure: Time to complete epithelialization.

The mean time to complete epithelialization was 56.7 ± 14.9, 22.0 ± 10.2, and 22.9 ± 10.1 days in MT, AMT, and UCS groups, respectively, with a significant difference between MT and AMT (P = .001) and between MT and UCS (P = .001), but not between UCS and AMT (P = .9). Improvement in pain score was better with UCS than AMT (P value: .012, .002, and .012 on days 7, 14, and 21, respectively). Corneal clarity was better in the UCS group at 21 (P = .008) and 30 days (P = .002), but not at 3 months (P = .9). By month 3, visual outcome, symblepharon, tear film status, and lid abnormalities were comparable between the 3 groups.

UCS and AMT, as an adjuvant to standard medical therapy in acute chemical injury, are equally efficacious. UCS has the advantage of faster improvement in corneal clarity, better pain control, and avoidance of surgery in an inflamed eye.