Evaluation effectiveness of 0.1% nepafenac on injection-related pain in patients undergoing intravitreal Ozurdex injection

PURPOSE: To evaluate the analgesic effect of topical 0.1% nepafenac solution during intravitreal Ozurdex injection. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study included 59 patients who were diagnosed with retinal vein occlusion or pseudophakic cystoid macular edema and were selected to receive intravitreal Ozurdex injection. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1, consisting of 31 eyes of 31 patients, received topical 0.1% nepafenac with topical anesthesia (0.5% proparacaine HCl, Alcaine; Alcon, TX, USA), and group 2, consisting of 28 eyes of 28 patients, received placebo with topical anesthesia. RESULTS: There were 14 (45.2%) men and 17 (54.8%) women in group 1 and 16 (57.1%) men and 12 (42.9%) women in group 2. The mean age of the subjects was 64.42 ± 5.51 years in group 1 and 62.32 ± 7.54 years in group 2. The median visual analog scale pain score was 2 (1–3) in group 1 and 4 (1–6) in group 2. The visual analog scale pain score was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Topical 0.1% nepafenac has an additive analgesic effect when combined with topical anesthesia for intravitreal Ozurdex injection.