Purpose: To evaluate the effects of topical nepafenac in patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery.
Methods: One hundred and twenty eyes of 120 patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery were randomized to receive either topical nepafenac 0.1% (60 eyes) or placebo (60 eyes) in this investigator-masked, randomized, comparative case series. Eyes were evaluated for Day 1 postoperative inflammation and 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-week postoperative retinal thickness and best-corrected visual acuity.
Results: Mean Day 1 inflammation grades of 0.95 ± 0.6 and 1.78 ± 0.7 were noted in patients taking nepafenac and placebo, respectively (P = 0.002). The nepafenac and placebo groups had mean central macular subfield thickness of 228.44 ± 29.27 μm and 236.21 ± 29.44 μm at 4 weeks (P = 0.172) and 205.35 ± 25.25 μm and 205.37 ± 24.90 μm at 8 weeks (P = 0.971), respectively. At 1 month, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean visual acuity between the nepafenac group (0.55 ± 0.16 decimal units) and placebo group (0.52 ± 0.17 decimal units).
Conclusion: Topical nepafenac was safe and reduced postoperative pain and inflammation in patients undergoing vitreoretinal surgery. However, its effect on reducing postoperative macular edema and improving visual acuity as compared with that of the standard postvitrectomy therapeutic regimen was equivocal.