The efficacy of bromfenac eye drops to manage postoperative inflammation after cataract surgery in AMD patients
Aim. To assess the efficacy of bromfenac 0.09% to prevent postoperative complications after phacoemulsification in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Patients and methods. Phacoemulsification with IOL implantation was performed in 42 patients (42 eyes) with dry AMD. In the study group (22 patients, 22 eyes), bromfenac 0.09% was prescribed. In the control group (20 patients, 20 eyes), diclofenac 0.1% was prescribed. Criteria for efficacy were the absence of cystoid macular edema (CME), the maintenance of perioperative mydriasis, the depth of perioperative analgesia, and the effect on corneal epithelium. Results. In the study group, no CME cases were observed up to 2 postoperative months while in the control group, CME was identified in 15% of patients. Bromfenac was better than diclofenac in maintaining mydriasis as pupil size was larger at the end of the surgery and the next day after the surgery. Significant analgesic effect of bromfenac enabled to perform phaco under local and intracameral anesthesia only in 81.8% of patients in the study group as compared with 20.0% of patients in the control group. No ocular discomfort upon instillations was observed in the study group while 100% of patients in the control group complained of ocular discomfort. The occurrence of corneal edema and keratopathy on the next day after the surgery and the rate of keratopathy in long-term bromfenac use were much less as compared with diclofenac. Conclusions. Bromfenac eye drops effectively prevent and reduce postoperative inflammation following cataract surgery. Bromfenac maintains mydriasis, provides adequate perioperative anesthesia, and prevents CME in dry AMD.