Does The Postoperative Management Choice Affects The Visual Outcomes Of Cataract Surgery?

To analyze the effect of postoperative management of cataract surgery with topical corticosteroids alone (DEX) or in combination with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)on the visual outcomes of uneventful cataract surgery.

Retrospective study of 180 patients that underwent uneventful phacoemulsification during the last 3 months of 2020 in a single center

Only one eye per patient was included in the study. Patients were randomly allocated to the groups depending on the week of surgery. The DEX group received dexamethasone  0.1 % eyedrops 4 times a daily for 1 week postoperatively and 1 drop less per week the following 3 weeks.The NSAID group received ketorolac trometamol  0.5%  eyedrops twice daily for 4 weeks and the same dose of dexamethasone as DEX group.

180 patients (56% were females and 42% males).Mean age was 75 years with 17% patients over 85 years. Medical history records showed 17% diabetes,46% hypertension  and 37% of pluripathological patients. Ophthalmic personal history was 13% of macular degeneration 13% pseudoexfoliation syndrome,3% Fuchs endothelial dystrophy and 33% of other ophthalmic diseases. In both groups (DEX : 75% and NSAID:74%) patients achieved a best corrected visual acuity was of 20/25 or better. The postoperative spherical equivalent (EE) was +/- 1.00D in 93% of the patients with a mean EE +0,12 in the DEX group and EE+ 0,16 in the NSAID group.

In conclusion a combination of topical ketorolac 0.5% and dexametasona 0,1% was not significantly more effective than topical dexamethasone 0,1% alone in visual outcomes obtained after uneventful cataract surgery.