Postoperative pain following Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK): a prospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate postoperative pain following Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK).

Methods: Seventy-one patients completed perioperatively (day before surgery, day of surgery, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day after surgery) four different questionnaires (a hospital internal protocol, QUIPS, PainDETECT®, and SF36) regarding their pain and other clinical parameters such as constipation, tiredness, vertigo, sleep disorders, concentration disorders, nausea, and emesis. All standardised questionnaires were evaluated to quantify average pain intensity as well as maximum pain intensity (NRS, 0 [no pain] to 10 [maximal pain], respectively).