Objective: To evaluate whether ketorolac ophthalmic drops prescribed four times a day can be associated with improved visual acuity and prompt resolution of edema for patients with pseudophakic cystoid macular edema identified more than 24 months after cataract surgery.
Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, comparative (subject self-controlled) trial.
Participants: The records of nine patients who had pseudophakic cystoid macular edema more than 24 months after cataract surgery at the time treatment commenced were identified at the Wilmer Retinal Vascular Center from September 1, 1996, through March 1, 1997.
Main outcome measures: Best-corrected visual acuities measured on a retroilluminated Bailey-Lovie chart approximately every 3 months, contact lens biomicroscopy, and fluorescein angiography following ketorolac.
Intervention: Commercially available ketorolac ophthalmic drops 0.5% were prescribed for the affected eye four times a day for at least 3 months and continued until edema resolved.
Results: Ten eyes of nine patients were identified more than 24 months after cataract extraction (median, 59 months). Seven eyes (70%) improved (mean, +3.2 lines; range, +1 to +13 lines), including six by 2 or more lines 3 months after treatment initiation. Two eyes (20%) were unchanged, and one eye (10%) was 1 line worse. All seven eyes that improved 1 line or more had some or complete angiographic resolution of fluorescein dye leakage. In these seven eyes, ketorolac was discontinued when dye leakage completely resolved or failed to continue to improve on periodic 3-month follow-up examinations. In all seven eyes, recurrence of edema was noted within 3 months after ketorolac was stopped.
Conclusions: Chronic pseudophakic cystoid macular edema identified more than 24 months after cataract surgery can improve with topical ketorolac but probably requires persistent use.