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Cataract patients may not need steroids after surgery
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Steroids may not be necessary postoperatively for cataract surgery patients, according to a study.
The retrospective study involved 200 consecutive patients given prednisolone, with 12% of those patients also given bromfenac, and 200 consecutive patients given bromfenac alone. Patients began their treatment regimen 2 days before surgery and remained on it for approximately 1 month after surgery.
“The intention was, we were going to add steroid if we needed to, but we never did,” Keith A. Walter, MD, said in a presentation here at Kiawah Eye 2012.
One month postoperatively, the average best corrected visual acuity was 20/27.2 in the prednisolone group and 20/26.6 in the bromfenac group. The prednisolone group had 16 eyes with elevated IOP, and the bromfenac group had seven eyes with elevated IOP.
Walter has treated approximately 900 cataract surgery patients without prescribing a steroid. He said using bromfenac alone is more cost-effective and convenient, relieving patients of an intense tapering schedule and several co-pays for medication.
“Your orthopedic surgeon doesn’t give you prednisone if you’re getting something done on your knee. But I think with ophthalmology we see the inflammation, so we’re inclined to treat it. We think we need to treat it,” Walter said.
- Disclosure: Walter is a consultant for Ista Pharmaceuticals.
