The role of perioperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use in cataract surgery

Purpose of review Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used and studied by cataract surgeons for varied benefits in the perioperative period, but optimal medication formulae and dosing have yet to be established. In this article, we perform a literature review of articles published between 1 January 2016 and 30 June 2018 concerning perioperative NSAID use for patients undergoing cataract surgery. Recent findings Literature review revealed five areas of recent study including preoperative NSAID use for iatrogenic inflammation, intraoperative NSAID use for pupillary mydriasis, postoperative NSAID use for prevention of cystoid macular edema (CME), for prevention of pain/inflammation, and for improvement in patient quality of life. Summary Recent literature establishes the efficacy of a newly available intracameral phenylephrine-NSAID combination for pupillary mydriasis, postoperative NSAID use for preventing CME in certain high-risk populations, and postoperative NSAIDs for controlling pain and inflammation. However, further high-quality studies are required to determine the long-term effects of perioperative NSAIDs on visual acuity and CME rates.