NSAIDs decrease pain of corneal abrasions without delaying healing, study confirms

INDIANAPOLIS — Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can decrease pain in patients with corneal abrasions without delaying the healing process, a literature review confirms.

“Ophthalmic NSAIDs appear to be useful for decreasing pain in patients with corneal abrasions who can afford the medication and who must return to work immediately, particularly where potential opioid-induced sedation is intolerable,” reported Christopher S. Weaver, MD and Kevin M. Terrel, OD, of the Indiana University School of Medicine here.

They reviewed the available literature on randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluating NSAIDs for corneal abrasions. A qualitative summary of results of the five trials indicated that NSAIDs provided greater pain relief and improvement of other subjective symptoms when compared with placebo. However, the authors reported, it is equivocal whether the reduction in pain exceeds the minimal clinically significant difference.

The study is published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.