Nepafenac Ophthalmic Suspension 0.3% for the Management of Ocular Pain After Photorefractive Keratectomy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of nepafenac 0.3% in a once daily dosage regarding pain and healing after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

METHODS: This was a prospective, comparative, contralateral randomized study of 35 patients undergoing PRK for the correction of low to moderate myopia and myopic astigmatism. After randomization, patients received nepafenac 0.3% ophthalmic suspension once daily in one eye (nepafenac 0.3% group) and nepafenac 0.1% ophthalmic suspension three times a day in the other eye (nepafenac 0.1% group) until the second postoperative day. Pain was evaluated every 2 hours on the day of the operation and then once daily using a scale ranging from 0 to 4. Patients were then examined at 2 weeks and 1, 3, 6, and 12 postoperative months. Visual acuity and subepithelial haze were also assessed.

RESULTS: No differences were detected between groups in pain scores, subepithelial haze scores, or visual acuity. Refractive predictability was also similar.

CONCLUSIONS: Nepafenac 0.3% ophthalmic suspension in a daily regimen after PRK seems to be an effective treatment for pain and ocular discomfort with effects similar to the 0.1% suspension. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(3):171-176.].