Treatment of Ocular Neuralgia After Refractive Surgery With Bilateral Orbital Steroid and Anesthetic Injections.

PURPOSE: To describe a patient with chronic periocular pain after bilateral photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and ocular neuralgia that was controlled with regular orbital steroid and anesthetic injections.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 21-year-old man presented 3 months following bilateral PRK surgery in severe bilateral orbital pain. Previous treatments included topical (artificial tears, corticosteroids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs) and oral (NSAIDs, opioids, and pregabalin) therapies with minimal pain relief. A bilateral orbital triamcinolone acetonide 40 mg/cc and 0.25% bupivacaine injection was done after a successful, diagnostic unilateral 0.25% bupivacaine injection. Following bilateral bupivacaine and triamcinolone acetonide injections, pain intensity improved from 7 of 9 to 1 of 3 out of 10. Repeat injections have been regularly performed over the past 3 years, allowing the patient to experience improved symptoms lasting from 4 to 9 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In this case, orbital nerve blocks provided relief and may be considered as a potential treatment for orbital neuralgia after refractive surgery. [J Refract Surg. 2019;35(8):534-537.].