The Use of Topical Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs for Uveitic Cystoid Macular Edema

ABSTRACT

The use of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the management of uveitic cystoid macular edema is controversial. In this letter, we review the literature and report our results from a retrospective case series of 281 patients taking topical nepafenac 0.1% for uveitic cystoid macular edema between 2010 and 2016. Over a 4-month period, there was a modest improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (0.66 ± 3.7 logMAR) and central macular thickness (69.8 ± 132.5 μm). Patients with idiopathic anterior uveitis and HLA-B*27-associated anterior uveitis recovered more vision while taking topical nepafenac 0.1%, than those with other uveitides, however, this was not statistically significant. There is a need for controlled prospective studies to evaluate the efficacy of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the management of uveitic cystoid macular edema. At present, clinicians have little evidence on which to base practice.

Keywords:

• Cystoid macular edema
• nepafenac
• nevanac
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• NSAIDs
• uveitic
• uveitis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge Richard Lee, Miles Stanford, and Rohit Jolly for their assistance in collecting the data and editing this letter.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Carlos Pavesio has previously attended an advisory board meeting with Alcon.

The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.