Incidence of aphakic cystoid macular edema with the use of topical indomethacin.

A prospective, controlled study utilizing topical 1% aqueous indomethacin was employed in an attempt to determine the incidence of aphakic cystoid macular edema (ACME) following cataract surgery. The incidence of ACME in the indomethacin-treated group was significantly less than in the control group five weeks after cataract surgery (36% vs 18%; P less than 0.02). There was no significant difference in the two groups ten weeks after surgery when studied by fluorescein angiography (34.6% vs 21%; P less than 0.10). The biochemical and pharmacological rationale for the use of the antiprostaglandin indomethacin in the management of ACME was reviewed. This revealed sufficient experimental and clinical evidence for continued research in the area of prostaglandin inhibitors for the possible prevention or treatment of this disorder.