Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) response to topical steroid treatment in the contralateral eye of patients who underwent uncomplicated pterygium surgery.
Methods: :
Retrospective chart review. Charts of patients who underwent pterygium excision at NYEEI, from January 2007 through October 2010 were reviewed. A minimum of 3 months follow up was required and no previous ocular history. Exclusion criteria included a suspected diagnosis of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, history of trauma or previous ocular surgery besides uncomplicated cataract extraction. A steroid response was defined as an IOP ≥ 24 mmHg and/or change of IOP from baseline of ≥11 mmHg.
Results: :
205 charts were analyzed with 56 being excluded. Ten developed a steroid response in their surgical eye (the highest pressures being seen in 1 patient at week 1, 7 patients at week 4, 1 patient at 3 months and 1 patient at 6 months). The maximal average IOP in the surgical eye was 27.1 ± 3.0 mmHg while the average IOP in the non-surgical eye on that visit was 14.8 ± 1.93 mmHg. The IOP change from baseline in the surgical eye was 13.0 ± 2.98 mmHg compared to 1.6 ± 2.67 in the contralateral eye (p<0.001).
Conclusions: :
Topical steroid drops do not have a significant effect on the IOP of the contralateral, untreated eye.
Keywords: drug toxicity/drug effects • anterior segment • pterygium