RESUMO
We evaluated the effect of diclofenac sodium (Voltaren) drops on patients with hypoxia-induced corneal edema. Thirty age- and sex-matched subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Members of each group received masked solutions of either Voltaren, Voltaren vehicle, or a non-preserved lubricant (Cellufresh) every 6 hours for 24 hours and then hourly for 2 hours immediately prior to inducing corneal edema in the experimental eye. Bilateral ultrasonic pachymetry was performed prior to applying a thick contact lens and light patch on the experimental eye of all subjects for 3 hours. The fellow eye served as the control. Following lens removal, bilateral corneal thickness was measured every 30 minutes. The percentage change in corneal swelling for each subject and group was calculated. The findings were also normalized to the control eye to minimize diurnal and individual variability. The results were plotted both as percentage change from hour 0 and percentage change normalized to the control eye. Corneal swelling ranged from 9-11% in all 3 groups, with recovery at 2-3 hours. No significant difference was found among the three groups (P > 0.05, ANOVA). There was a slight trend toward reduced thickness in the Cellufresh group, but this was not statistically significant. Voltaren does not appear to have an effect on the hypoxia-induced corneal edema associated with the production of arachidonic acid pathway metabolites.
