Importance: Opioids, which carry a high risk for addiction and overdose, are commonly prescribed after corneal surgery. Data are lacking describing opioid prescribing practices and opioid needs by patients after ophthalmic surgery.
Objectives: To quantify opioid use and to assess the association of decreasing the number of opioid tablets prescribed after corneal surgery with postsurgical use.
Design, setting, and participants: This prospective cohort study investigated opioid use after corneal surgery using direct interviews of 2 adult patient cohorts separated by an updated opioid prescribing guideline. The first cohort survey assessed the quantity of opioid tablets used after surgery. The cornea division of a tertiary care academic medical center reviewed the use needs and decreased the number of tablets prescribed after routine cases. Simultaneously, a statewide opioid monitoring program began that provided patients with opioid information. A second unique cohort received a more detailed survey to assess use, opioid disposal, and pain control. Data for the first cohort were collected from December 1, 2017, through January 19, 2018; for the second cohort, from June 1 to September 15, 2018. Data were analyzed from October 24, 2018, through September 24, 2019.
Exposure: Corneal surgery.
Main outcomes and measures: Differences in use of opioid tablets used by both patient cohorts, assessed using the 2-sample t test.
Results: Of 112 eligible, contacted patients, 82 consented to participate (42 men [51%]; mean [SD] age, 42.5 [17.8] years) and were included in the analysis; 38 of 42 participated in the first cohort and 44 of 70 participated in the second cohort. Of those receiving opioid prescriptions, the first cohort was prescribed significantly more tablets than the second cohort (mean [SD], 18.8 [4.2] vs 6.6 [3.1]; difference, 12.2 [95% CI, 10.4-14.0]; P < .001). The first cohort used significantly more tablets than the second cohort (mean [SD], 8.3 [7.0] vs 4.0 [3.2]; difference, 4.3 [95% CI, 1.4-7.2]; P = .005) and had significantly more leftover tablets (mean [SD], 10.3 [6.9] vs 2.9 [2.7]; difference, 7.5 [95% CI, 4.7-10.2]; P < .001). In the detailed survey for the second cohort, 19 of 27 patients reported pain control as adequate (70% [95% CI, 50%-86%]); 6 of 27, as more than needed (22% [95% CI, 9%-42%]). Twenty of 28 participants (71% [95% CI, 55%-88%]) had leftover tablets; 17 of these (85% [95% CI, 62%-97%]) did not dispose of leftovers, and 3 (15% [95% CI, 3%-38%]) threw away or flushed leftovers.
Conclusions and relevance: After an assessment of opioid needs, physicians prescribed fewer opioid pills. However, patients who underwent cornea surgery and received fewer tablets continued to have adequate pain control and used even fewer tablets compared with the initial cohort. Patients with unused opioid tablets did not dispose of them properly.