The effect of topical prednisolone acetate 1% on the pupillary diameter and ocular pain after uncomplicated cataractsurgery in diabetic and non-diabetic patients

Cataract surgery is the most common intraocular procedure in theworld. Trauma during surgery causes an inflammatory response in the eye. This studyaimed to determine the effect of 1% prednisolone acetate topical drops on pupil dilation and pain after uncomplicated cataract surgery in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

In this double-blind clinical trial study, 80 patients with cataracts participated. First, the patients were divided into 2 diabetic and non-diabetic groups, and then each group was randomly assigned to 2 intervention and control groups. Intervention groups received 1% prednisolone acetate drops 4 times, 24 hours before surgery, and artificial tear drops were used for the control group. Tearing, pain, photophobia, itching, foreign body sensation and horizontal pupil diameter were compared between 4 groups using chi-square, independent t tests and analysis of variance.

Prednisolone Acetate 1% topical drops had a significant effect on pupil dilation (P=0.03). Postoperative photophobia in patients receiving prednisolone drops in non-diabetic patients was significantly lower than in the control group (p=0.001). The severity of postoperative itching in patients receiving prednisolone drops in both non-diabetic (p=0.006) and diabetic (p=0.02) groups was lower than their control groups. The amount of pain reduction in the non-diabetic intervention group was higher than the other groups (p=0.04).

The results of this study show that the topical drug prednisolone acetate 1% can be used before cataract surgery as an auxiliary drug to maintain intraoperative dilatation in diabetic and non-diabetic patients and reduce photophobia, pain and itching after surgery.