Effects of subconjunctival methylprednisolone on the blood aqueous barrier following cataract surgery.

The aim of this double-blind randomized study was to assess the effect of subconjunctival methylprednisolone hemisuccinate (MH) on the recovery of the blood aqueous barrier (BAB) following uncomplicated cataract surgery performed by the same surgeon in normal eyes. Fifty eyes of fifty patients (28 female, 22 male, mean age 72.3 +/- 11.2 years) were randomized into two groups: group 1 received a subconjunctival injection of MH (40 mg in 0.5 cc) at the end of the surgery and group 2 did not. All patients were free of other ocular or systemic diseases known to alter the BAB and were not taking any anti-inflammatory medications. Postoperative treatments were similar in both groups. The patients were submitted to laser flare photometry 30 minutes to one hour after mydriasis with a drop of tropicamide preoperatively and on the first, second and seventh day and then one month and six months following surgery. No difference in aqueous flare was seen between the two groups on any of postoperative visits. These data suggest that subconjunctival MH has no beneficial effect in postoperative BAB permeability following uncomplicated cataract surgery in normal eyes.