Corneal Wound Healing Strength with Topical Antiinflammatory Drugs

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the force required to separate corneal wounds after topical applications of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids. Bilateral central 8-mm long corneal full-thickness incisions in 50 NZW rabbits were closed with five interrupted 10-0 nylon sutures. There were four paired-eye groups: (a) control/control, (b) control/diclofenac sodium (0.1%), (c) control/flurbiprofen sodium (0.03%), and (d) control/prednisolone acetate (1%) treated six times per day for 7 or 21 days. The wound strength was measured by determining the force necessary to separate the incision along its length. The eyes did not differ statistically from their contralateral eye for each group except control/diclofenac (7.98 g/12.32 g) and control/flurbiprofen (6.96 g/11.67 g) at 21 days. The strongest scars occurred after treatment with diclofenac and flurbiprofen, which were similar (p = 0.74). The weakest wounds for each time period were with prednisolone (1.74 g/3.21 g). The diclofenac and flurbiprofen were stronger than prednisolone-treated eyes at 7 days (p = 0.028 and p = 0.023, respectively) and at 21 days (p < 0.001). The bilateral controls were stronger than the prednisolone controls (p = 0.008 at 7 days and p = 0.001 at 21 days). Steroid treatment caused weaker corneal wound scars than did the NSAIDs. Unilateral steroid treatment adversely affected their untreated contralateral eyes. The NSAID-treated wounds were the strongest and stronger than their contralateral control eyes.