Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in veterinary ophthalmology

Central to the management of all ophthalmic disease processes is preservation of vision and maintenance or restoration of ocular comfort. The etiology of ophthalmic disease varies and may involve adnexal, surface, or intraocular pathologic findings of primary or secondary causes. Regardless of the inciting problem or ocular region affected, inflammation is a common sequela of disease and may result in keratitis sicca, corneal pigmentation or vascularization, fibrosis, cataract, glaucoma, synechia, optic nerve atrophy, retinal degeneration, retinal detachment, phthisis bulbi, or blindness [1]. Prompt appropriate treatment of ocular inflammation is essential if additional ocular discomfort and loss of vision are to be prevented. Several excellent reviews discuss the management of ocular inflammation, and the reader is referred to those sources for a general overview of this topic [1-3]. This article discusses the current uses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in veterinary ophthalmology. Specifically, review of the recent veterinary ophthalmic literature regarding the indications and efficacy of systemic and topical NSAIDs is discussed.