Acular receives FDA clearance for treating inflammation after cataract extraction

Issue: March 1997

Operation Optometry Prescribe ATLANTA — The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) recent approval of Acular (ketorolac tromethamine, Allergan) to treat inflammation following cataract surgery should be a welcome addition to a primary care doctor's therapeutic arsenal, according to an optometrist here.

"Acular is a safe alternative to steroids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been the best drugs to come out on the market for eye care," said Michael Bloom, OD, in private group practice. "It's important for optometrists to learn the value of this product because it's perfect for primary and secondary care settings."

The active ingredient in Acular is thought to work, in part, by inhibiting the formation of prostaglandins, potent mediators of certain types of intraocular inflammation.

Controls ocular itch

In November of 1992, Acular became the first topical NSAID to receive FDA clearance for the relief of ocular itch associated with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. It is currently the medication most frequently prescribed for this condition, according to Allergan.

Dr. Bloom said Acular is his first line of therapy for seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, and he often uses it in combination with a topical antihistamine or topical mast cell inhibitor.

"I also use it quite often for all types of ocular surface inflammations and discomfort," Dr. Bloom said. "Our comanagement partners, the ophthalmologists, haven't started prescribing it for post-cataract surgery yet, but I'm sure they will, because everything that's been claimed about the drug has held out."

Reducing inflammation

Dr. Bloom will usually prescribe 1 drop every 6 hours for pain in patients on an as-needed basis, but if the intent is to reduce inflammation he will prescribe a regimen. "The only time I have not felt comfortable using it is for severe inflammation, which usually calls for steroids," he said.

Dr. Bloom has found Acular useful for relieving patient discomfort in superficial corneal abrasions instead of patching, for viral conjunctivitis and most recently for a painful corneal dellen. One minor side effect of the drug is stinging upon instillation, and Dr. Bloom advises patients to refrigerate the drops to help reduce stinging.

For Your Information:
Michael Bloom, OD, is in practice at Ross Eyecare Group, 2625 Piedmont Rd., Atlanta, GA 30324; (404) 233-3513; fax: (404) 814-0184.
Dr. Bloom is not a paid consultant to Allergan and has no financial interest in the company or product mentioned.
Allergan Inc. can be contacted at 2525 Dupont Dr., Irvine, CA 92715-1599; (714) 752-4500.