ABSTRACT

Aim: To determine the effectiveness (in prevention of postoperative inflammation) of intracameral and subconjunctival injection of dexamethasone in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Study design: Comparative/observational Place and duration of study: Department of Ophthalmology, Khawaja Muhammad Safdar Medical College, Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot from 1stJuly2020 to 31stDecember2020.

Methodology: One hundred and forty patients of both genders with age upto 12 years undergoing cataract surgery were included in this study. All the patients were equally divided in to two groups, group I contain 70 patients and received subconjunctival dexamethasone and group II with same number of patients received intracameral injection of dexamethasone. Post-operative inflammation was examined on 1st and 3rd post-operative day with the help of slit lamp. Findings were compared between both groups.

Results: There were 41 (58.57%) males and 29 (41.43%) females in group I, in group II 38 (54.29%) patients were males and 32 (45.71%) were females. Majority of patients in group I and II 40 (57.14%) and 38 (54.29%) had ages 5 to 10 years. In group I postoperative inflammation was found in 16 (22.86%) patients and in group II it was found in 2 (2.86%) patients, a significant difference was observed between both groups with p-value 0.012.

Conclusion: Intracameral injection of dexamethasone is very effective than the sub-conjunctival dexamethasone for the prevention of postoperative inflammation in children undergoing cataract surgery.

Keywords: Cataract surgery, Intracameral, Sub-conjunctival, Dexamethasone, Post-operative Inflammation