A recent study based on a randomised clinical trial published in 'Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics' revealed that a single instillation of nepafenac 0.1% or 0.3% before intravitreal injections (IVI) could effectively alleviate the pain concerning IVI.

Constantine D. Georgakopoulos and colleagues examined the analgesic effect of nepafenac 0.3% in patients undergoing IVI of antivascular endothelial growth factors. The patients were randomized into three Groups in this single-centre, prospective, randomized, blinded, triple-arm, placebo-controlled interventional study. In the 1^st Group total, 33 patients received nepafenac 0.1%, in the 2^nd  Group total, 32 patients received nepafenac 0.3%, and in the 3^rd Group total 31 patients received placebo 40 min before IVI. The short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), pain intensity was assessed with the visual analog scale (VAS), Main Component of the SF-MPQ and present pain intensity (PPI) scores were used immediately and at 6 hours after the injection.It was found that the VAS pain score was statistically significantly lower in patients treated with nepafenac 0.1% and 0.3% as compared to placebo immediately after IVI. When nepafenac 0.1% or 0.3% was instilled, the PPI scores were statistically significantly lower as compared to placebo. After nepafenac, 0.1% and 0.3% administration, the main component of the SF-MPQ scores were statistically significantly lower as compared to placebo. Six hours after the IVI, nepafenac 0.3% exhibited statistically significantly higher analgesic effect as compared to nepafenac 0.1% and placebo as this was indicated by the VAS pain score and PPI score."The 0.3% nepafenac formula exerts its analgesic effect more thoroughly at 6 hours after the IVI", noted Constantine D. Georgakopoulos et al.