Abstract

SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF LOTEPREDNOL ETABONATE 0.5% VERSUS PREDNISOLONE ACETATE 1% FOR THE TREATMENT OF PAIN AND INFLAMMATION AFTER CATARACT SURGERY- A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

G. Guru*, Dr. B. Arul*, Dr. B. Jayaprakash, Neenu Mary Mathew, Neha Mary Dilson, Nomy P. Benny

Abstract

Cataract is one of the major health care problem faced by old aged people. It is responsible for 50% of blindness in the world, the overall prevalence rate varies from 1% to 4% of the population and 300,000 cataract surgeries are performed every year. Cataract surgery is usually a very effective and safe procedure, but a severe post-operative inflammation can be vision threatening. Corticosteroids are the first line drugs for the treatment of pain and inflammation after cataract surgery. This can lead to fluctuation in Intraocular pressure. Few randomized, controlled studies are available on the comparative safety and efficacy of common topical corticosteroids in the treatment of post-operative ocular inflammation. Newer corticosteroids that the retro-metabolically designed corticosteroid, Loteprednol Etabonate, offer similar antiinflammatory efficacy to older corticosteroids like prednisolone acetate with less effect on Intraocular pressure. Loteprednol Etabonate, a novel C-20 ester-based corticosteroid, was retrometabolically designed to offer potent anti-inflammatory efficacy but with decreased impact on Intraocular pressure. The proportion of patients exhibiting an increase of C10 mmHg Intraocular pressure in clinical studies has emerged as the most clinically relevant parameter for ophthalmologists to consider when deciding on which topical corticosteroid to use.

Keywords: Cataract surgery, Intraocular pressure, Topical corticosteroids, Loteprednol Etabonate, Prednisolone Acetate, Post-operative pain and inflammation.