title: Shortening ocular pain duration following intravitreal injections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine ocular pain duration after routine in-office intravitreal injection and to determine whether topical eyedrops are beneficial in increasing patient comfort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty injection-naïve patients receiving routine intravitreal injections of bevacizumab for age-related macular degeneration were randomized into 3 groups: group 1 (control, no drops), group 2 (generic artificial tears), and group 3 (ketorolac tromethamine 0.4% eyedrops). Those who received topical medications were given a Visual Analog Pain score survey and asked to record their pain on a scale from 0 (no distress) to 10 (unbearable distress) daily until a score of 0 was achieved, at which point they were instructed to discontinue use of their given drops. Self-reported pain scores were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain after routine intravitreal injection lasts on average between 3 and 7 days. Patients receiving topical ketorolac eyedrops reported the fewest average number of pain days (2.25±1.22) vs patients receiving artificial tears (3.54±1.13) or those who received no postprocedure eyedrops (5.13±1.25); p&lt;0.05. At most, patients receiving ketorolac eyedrops reported 3 days of recordable pain. Those who received artificial tears reported at most 5 days of recordable pain, and patients who did not receive any postprocedure eyedrops reported at most 7 days of recordable pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pain after intravitreal injection is generally mild, may be reduced by postinjection topical ketorolac eyedrops, and lasts less than 1 week.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky - USA.
authors.forename: Lana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rifkin
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schaal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058447:Eye Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D020911:Ketorolac Tromethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020911:Ketorolac Tromethamine