Analgesic effect of topical sodium diclofenac 0.1% drops during retinal laser photocoagulation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the analgesic effect of topical sodium diclofenac 0.1% during retinal laser photocoagulation.


METHODS
87 patients, 45 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy treated with two sessions of panretinal photocoagulation (group A), and 42 patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy who underwent grid treatment of the posterior pole (19 bilaterally) (group B). Sodium diclofenac 0.1% or sodium chloride 0.9% drops were topically applied 30-135 minutes before laser treatment in a masked fashion. Patients who had two sessions were given the alternate drug in the second one. Pain level was evaluated immediately after laser treatment with the visual analogue scale (VAS). The results were statistically analysed.


RESULTS
Patients in group A reported pain in 85/90 sessions (94%). The average pain level was 44.2% with sodium diclofenac 0.1% drops and 53.1% with sodium chloride 0.9% drops (p = 0.011 by paired t test). Patients in group B reported pain in only 16/60 sessions (26. 7%), and the pain level ranged from 10% to 60% regardless of the kind of drops used. There was no correlation in either group between level of pain and time interval from application of the drops to laser treatment (30-135 minutes) or average energy level used (100-500 mW).


CONCLUSIONS
Sodium diclofenac 0.1% is useful for pain reduction and should be applied before panretinal photocoagulation.
Weinberger
D
D
Department of Ophthalmology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Ron
Y
Y
Lichter
H
H
Rosenblat
I
I
Axer-Siegel
R
R
Yassur
Y
Y
D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000601:surgery*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008028:Light Coagulation; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004008:Diclofenac