PURPOSE: To compare the use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) with steroids in the follow-up of strabismus surgery, regarding inflammation control. METHODS: All patients underwent resection-recession surgery. Both groups used the same antibiotic eye-drop. One group used NSAID (ketorolac tromethamine- Acular®) and the other, prednisolone, 0.12% - Pred Mild®, for 21 days. They were examined with slit-lamp and ectoscopy to evaluate IOP (comparing with the fellow eye), edema, hyperemia and comfort. RESULTS: Of a total of 23 patients, 15 were treated with NSAID and 12 with steroid. Regarding comfort, edema and IOP there was no important difference between the NSAID and steroid groups. However, when we analyzing hyperemia, there were 5 (33.3%) patients in the NSAID group with ++/4 of hyperemia at the 21st postoperative day and only 1 (8.3%) patient in the steroid group. There were also three granulomas (20%) in the NSAID group and none in steroid-treated patients. CONCLUSION: For resection-recession surgeries, procedures that induce a greater inflammatory response, the use of NSAID is not advisable.