Diclofenac may prevent early postop CME in diabetic cataract patients

Diclofenac can reduce IOP and may protect against the early development of cystoid macular edema after cataract surgery in patients with diabetic retinopathy, according to a study by Japanese researchers. However, neither diclofenac nor betamethasone can fully suppress postoperative macular thickening in such patients, the study authors noted.

Masahiko Shimura, MD, PhD, and colleagues compared the effect of topical diclofenac with that of betamethasone for preventing postoperative cystoid macular edema. The study included 46 patients with diabetic retinopathy and bilateral, symmetrical cataracts.

Surgeons performed uncomplicated cataract surgery in both eyes of each patient. After surgery, topical diclofenac was applied four times daily to one eye; the contralateral eye received topical betamethasone, also applied four times daily, according to the study.

All eyes showed an improvement in visual acuity postoperatively, with no significant difference noted between diclofenac- and betamethasone-treated eyes at baseline and at 8 weeks follow-up.

However, foveal thickness increased from 1 week through 8 weeks postop in betamethasone-treated eyes, while it gradually increased from 4 weeks to 8 weeks postop in diclofenac-treated eyes, the authors reported.

Additionally, IOP in the diclofenac group decreased with time, but remained stable in the betamethasone group throughout the study, they noted.

The study is published in the June issue of Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics.