title: Effect of preemptive topical diclofenac on postoperative pain relief after photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prophylactic effect of preoperative application of topical diclofenac on postoperative pain control in patients having photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized masked clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this paired-eye study, patients having bilateral PRK received 1 drop of diclofenac 0.1% in 1 eye and 1 drop of placebo in the fellow eye 2 hours before PRK. Postoperatively, both arms of the trial (both eyes of each patient) received topical diclofenac every 6 hours for 2 days. One day and 2 days postoperatively, patients were asked to rate the perceived pain in each eye using an 11-point verbal numerical rating scale. A trained examiner noted the eye-specific responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 70 patients (140 eyes) completed the study and were included in the statistical analysis. Twenty-four hours after PRK, patients reported pain scores that were clinically and statistically significantly lower in the eyes pretreated with diclofenac than in the fellow eyes (0.97 versus 2.09) (P=.018). Pain scores at 2 days did not differ significantly (P=.877).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of a single drop of topical diclofenac 0.1% 2 hours before PRK seemed to increase the efficacy of postoperative pain management in a clinically and statistically significant manner.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department and Eye Research Center, Cornea Consultant, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadpour
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jabbarvand
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nikdel
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adelpour
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karimi
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D058447:Eye Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000601:surgery; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004008:Diclofenac