Safety and Efficacy of Topical versus Intracanalicular Corticosteroids for the Prevention of Postoperative Inflammation after Cataract Surgery

To compare the safety and efficacy of topical prednisolone and intra-canalicular dexamethasone ophthalmic insert for the prevention of post-operative inflammation after cataract surgery.Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA.Retrospective consecutive case series.Patients scheduled for elective phacoemulsification cataract surgery with a plan to receive inflammation prophylaxis with topical prednisolone (prednisolone acetate 1mg/1mL) between January 2018 and November 2019 or intracanalicular dexamethasone (Dextenza, 0.4mg, Ocular Therapeutix) between December 2019 and March 2021 were screened. Patients were seen 1 day, 1 week, and 4-16 weeks postoperatively. Medical records were also reviewed for any urgent messages between visits. Primary endpoints were proportion of eyes with 1) breakthrough inflammation requiring escalation of anti-inflammatory therapy and 2) intraocular pressure (IOP) increase ≥ 10mmHg at 4-16 weeks follow-up. Secondary endpoints included incidence of intra-operative complications, cystoid macular edema, and infectious sequelae.Three-hundred and fifty-eight patient charts (358 eyes) were screened. Of these, 262 eyes of 262 patients met criteria for inclusion in the study; 131 eyes received topical drops and 131 eyes received the intracanalicular insert. Amongst eyes that completed follow-up, 9 eyes (6.9%) in the drops group and 12 eyes (9.2%) in the insert group experienced breakthrough inflammation necessitating treatment (P = .50). Two eyes in the drops group and 1 eye in the insert group had elevated IOP.Postoperative inflammation prophylaxis with the intracanalicular insert may be associated with similar rates of breakthrough inflammation and IOP elevation as topical drops.