[Effect of 0.1% dexamethasone and 1.0% prednisolone acetate eyedrops on the blood-aqueous humor barrier].

In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial we studied the protective effect of prednisolone-acetate 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1% on the blood-aqueous barrier after cataract-extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation. Pre- and postoperative anterior chamber fluorophotometry was performed after i.v. administration of 10% fluorescein-sodium in 20 eyes of 20 patients of whom 16 finished the study (mean age 68.7 +/- 11.0; 13 female, 3 male). The topical application of either drug 5 times daily for 5 days did show a significant difference in surgery mediated disturbance of BAB in each group before and after phacoemulsification. However, when comparing the effect of the two drugs with each other, a difference could not be detected (p = 0.35). To attain a statistical 95% probability that there is no significant difference between the two treatment groups, a number of 690 patients would have had to be investigated. The results can be interpreted as to be due to a better cornea penetration of prednisolone-acetate which compensate the higher glucocorticoid-potency and receptor-affinity of dexamethasone. The untreated fellow-eyes did not reveal a significant difference between the pre- and postoperative anterior chamber fluorescein-concentrations in either treatment group. Anterior chamber fluorophotometry is able to demonstrate the potency and influence of both prednisolone-acetate 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1% eye-drops on the BAB following phacoemulsification and IOL-implantation. The difference of both drugs does not seem to be of clinical importance in this context.