Comparison of the Effect of Topical Steroid with Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) on Corneal Haze and Myopic Regression after Excimer Laser Photorefractive Keratectomy

ABSTRACT

We wanted to evaluate the effects of topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on refractive outcome and corneal haze after PRK(photorefractive keratectomy) according to the degree of myopia, and compare their effect with those of topical steroids. We divided our patients into moderate myopes ( OR = -6.0D), and each patient was randomly allocated to one of three drugs for initial management 0.1% fluorometholone, 0.03% flurbiprofen, 0.1% diclofenac for 4 months after PRK. In moderate myopes, steroid group and NSAIDs group showed no difference in refraction after 6 months, and the subjective haze grading was consistently lower in steroid group after 3 weeks. In high myopes, steroid group and NSAIDs group showed no difference in both refraction and corneal haze after 6 months. Steroid group showed severe myopic regression or corneal haze less frequently than NSAID groups in high myopes. Topical NSAIDs are assumed to be less effective than topical steroids in reducing myopic regression and haze especially in high myopes after PRK.