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ASCRS clarifies its NSAID alert
VIENNA - Further investigation of an outbreak of corneal melts has prompted the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) to clarify previous alert messages about topical ophthalmic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
“Several preliminary patterns emerge,” said Kenneth J. Rosenthal, MD, here at the meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. “First, there is the geographic and temporal relationships to reported cases [of severe corneal melt requiring surgical intervention] and the presence of DSOS in the marketplace.” DSOS (Diclofenac Sodium Ophthalmic Solution, distributed through Alcon Laboratories’ subsidiary Falcon) is only available in North America, and ASCRS has not been able to find any cases of severe corneal melt outside of North America.
“Similarly,” he continued, “most of the cases reported occurred after the last quarter of 1998, about the time that DSOS was first introduced.”
Ocular Surgery News is currently preparing an article presenting the latest findings of the ASCRS investigation, opinions of experts in pharmacology and corneal physiology and the positions of the manufacturers of topical ophthalmic NSAIDs.