DECREASE IN NORMAL HUMAN CORNEAL SENSITIVITY WITH TOPICAL DICLOFENAC SODIUM

We tested the effect of topical diclofenac sodium on corneal sensitivi ty in the human eye. Corneal sensitivity was measured in ten adult sub jects with the Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer before, and immediately aft er, applying one drop of diclofenac sodium 0.1% in one eye and one dro p of diclofenac vehicle in the other eye. Application was repeated eve ry five minutes for 20 minutes; then no more drops were applied, and c orneal sensitivity was measured every 15 minutes until sensitivity mea surements returned to baseline levels. Diclofenac sodium decreased cor neal sensitivity significantly (P = .0001) in all ten subjects, compar ed with eyes treated with the vehicle. The effect of diclofenac sodium increased as additional drops were administered. After the drug insti llation was stopped, corneal sensitivity returned to baseline measurem ents within less than an hour in all the subjects. Diclofenac sodium s ubstantially lowers sensitivity in normal, unoperated-on human corneas ; the vehicle has no measurable effect on sensitivity.