Comparison of the Efficacy of Topical Chloramphenicol 0.5%-Betamethasone 0.2% (CB) and CB Associated with Sodium Hyaluronate/Trehalose/Carbomer Gel Following Strabismus Surgery

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of topical chloramphenicol 0.5%-betamethasone 0.2% (CB) and CB associated with sodium hyaluronate/trehalose/carbomer (HTC-gel) gel following strabismus surgery. Methods: Longitudinal, single-arm, study case series analysis involved patients undergoing bilateral symmetrical horizontal strabismus surgery. One eye received CB alone and the contralateral eye CB and HTC-gel. Both treatments were instilled 3 times a day for 4 weeks postoperatively. Ocular inflammation was assessed objectively at 1 and 4 weeks by Efron scale for conjunctival redness. Foreign body sensation, burning/stinging, itching, pain, stick feeling, and blurred vision were evaluated by the numerical rating scale. Results: There were 31 patients included in the study. The mean age at presentation was 51 years (standard deviation 24, range 19-85). Conjunctival inflammatory at 1 and 4 weeks showed no statistically significant difference between the 2 treatments (P = 0.75 and P = 0.33, respectively). At 1 week postsurgery, all the subjective parameters showed a significant difference (P < 0.0001) between the 2 groups of treatment to the exclusion of "itching" and "pain" (P = 0.18 and P = 0.67, respectively) with higher scores, to the exception of "blurred vision" in the CB treatment. At 4 weeks postoperatively, no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups (P > 0.16) of treatments were observed, with the exception of the symptom "blurred vision" (0.00 vs. 1.65, CB vs. CB and HTC-gel, respectively, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: CB associated with HTC-gel seems to be an effective treatment option following strabismus surgery.