Analgesic effect of preoperative topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs on postoperative pain after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy

Purpose To assess the effect of preoperative topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on postoperative pain after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) and to investigate their mechanism. Setting Severance Eye Hospital and Saeyan Eye Clinic, Seoul, South Korea. Design Prospective randomized clinical trial. Methods Participants in 2 related studies were assessed. Study 1 comprised patients scheduled for bilateral LASEK (Group 1) who were randomized to receive an NSAID in 1 eye and a placebo in the fellow eye 30, 20, and 10 minutes before LASEK. Postoperative pain, glare, tearing, and irritation were assessed using a visual analog scale. Study 2 comprised healthy subjects (Group 2) who were randomly divided into subgroups. The participants in these subgroups were randomized to receive ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% in 1 eye and placebo (ofloxacin 0.3%) in the fellow eye (Group 2A), proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% in 1 eye and placebo in the fellow eye (Group 2B), or ketorolac tromethamine 0.5% in 1 eye and placebo in the fellow eye, followed 10 minutes later by 1 drop of proparacaine hydrochloride 0.5% in both eyes (Group 2C). In all 3 groups, corneal sensitivity was measured after 1, 2, and 6 hours. Results The mean postoperative pain score in the NSAID-pretreated eye was statistically significantly lower than in the placebo-pretreated eye 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively (P <.05). The mean corneal sensitivity was statistically significantly lower in the NSAID-treated eye than in the placebo-treated eye at 1 and 2 hours in Groups 2A and 2C (P <.05). Conclusion Preoperative administration of topical NSAIDs before LASEK effectively reduces postoperative pain. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.