To evaluate and compare the efficacy of prophylactic administration of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs on macular edema (ME) following cataract surgery.

The present open-label non-masked randomized (random number assignment) study was comprised of 90 eyes. Thirty eyes were administered Diclofenac sodium 0.1%, and 30 eyes were administered Pranoprofen 0.1% starting three days before surgery and continued for one month after surgery. The remaining 30 eyes made up the control group. The results consisted of the measurements of foveal thickness (FT), macular thickness (MT), and total macular volume (TMV), which were quantified by optical coherence tomography (OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec) before and one month after phacoemulsification surgery.

At one month, there were statistically significant differences in FT in the Diclofenac group (0.48±10.9 µm) and the Pranoprofen group (1.87±14.7 µm) ( p <0.05) compared with the control group (11.65±18.6 µm). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in MT between the control group (71.06±90.8 µm) and the Diclofenac group (15.19±36.1 µm) ( p <0.05). However, no statistical difference in MT was noted between the control group and the Pranoprofen group (27.57±70.93 µm). Between the control group and the NSAID groups, only the Diclofenac group showed statistical differences in TMV throughout the observational period.

Used prophylactically after cataract surgery, the NSAIDS eye drops were effective in reducing postoperative ME.