Evaluation of Nepafenac Eye Drops in Prevention of Macular Edema Following Cataract Surgery in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Pseudophakic macular edema is considered a common cause of unexpected visual loss or sub-optimal visual outcome after cataract surgery which may occur following complicated or uncomplicated cataract surgery. The modern surgical techniques using phacoemulsification can reduce the incidence of CME post operatively. It was found that the incidence of post operative CME is higher in diabetic patients rather than normal individuals. OCT is a non-invasive investigation that provides quantitative measurements of the retinal volume and thickness and can be used to detect any macular thickness changes even before clinical fundus findings. VEGF and other inflammatory mediators are implicated in the process of macular edema. Nepafenac ophthalmic suspension is a NSAID that was prescribed for managing post operative ocular pain and inflammation. Our study was conducted on 30 diabetic patients who had undergone uneventful phacoemulsification and posterior chamber IOL cataract surgery. The patients were divided into two groups; the control group who had received the ordinary post operative treatment and the nepafenac group where nepafenac ophthalmic suspension was added to the treatment three times a day for one month post operatively. Measuring of MFT pre operatively and 30 days post operatively was achieved for all of the patients. According to our study, the nepafenac group had exhibited statistically and clinically significant lower macular thickness than the control group. Also the nepafenac group had exhibited clinically and statistically significant better BCVA post operatively than the control group.