A novel drop regimen reduces ocular hypertension risk after pars plana vitrectomy

· The intervention cohort had 58 (28 %) patients given postoperative drops of one-week dexamethasone 0.1%/antibiotic QDS and one-month g. ketorolac TDS.

· Standard care controls included 151 (72 %) patients who received one-month g. dexamethasone 0.1%/antibiotic QDS.

· Total of 209 eyes from 192 patients were included.

· IOP≥30 mmHg two weeks postoperatively was the primary outcome measured by the researchers.

· Secondary outcomes were rates of anterior uveitis, cystoid macular oedema, endophthalmitis, and the number of eye hospital visits.

· Similarities were reported between baseline and <72hr postoperative IOPs between groups.

· IOP ≥ 30 mmHg at the two-week postoperative visit (primary outcome measure) occurred in none of the intervention groups but in 21 (14%) of the controls.

· The difference in IOP change distribution between the two groups was highly significant.

· There was no significant difference reported in secondary outcomes between the groups.

· There were no cases of endophthalmitis in either cohort.

· The intervention cohort had fewer all-cause eye hospital visits in the three months immediately following PPV.

The novel regimen used in the study reduced rate of subsequent OHT, a lesser need for additional topical antihypertensive treatment, and fewer patient visits to the eye hospital in the postoperative period.

Further reading:

Orlans HO, Yazdouni S, Williamson TH, Wong RS, Laidlaw DAH. A novel postoperative drop regimen reduces the risk of ocular hypertension following pars plana vitrectomy. Ophthalmologica. 2022 Dec 23. DOI: 10.1159/000528037