Purpose:
To evaluate the efficiency of intravitreal triamcinolone for the treatment of diffuse macular edema.
Materials Methods:
46 eyes of 41 patients who underwent intravitreal triamcinolone (IVTA) for macular edema in The 1st Retina Clinic of Beyoglu Eye Research and Education Hospital were included in our study. 4 mg 0.1 cc triamcinolone acetonide were injected to the vitreus of the patients. The mean age of the patients was 61 (range 42-76 years). The average time between application of the patients to our clinic and injection of IVTA was 6 months. The mean follow up time after IVTA application was 5 months. Two eyes received IVTA treatment twice. The etiology of the macular edema was diabetes mellitus (n=27), branch retinal vein occlusion (n=16) and central retinal vein occlusion (n=3). Visual acuities were evaluated with Snellen charts. For statistical evaluation visual acuities were converted to logMAR values. Intraocular pressures (IOP) were measured with Goldmann applanation tonometry before and after IVTA. Central retinal thickness was measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Results:
There was not a statistically important difference between visual acuities between before and after 1 month of IVTA injection (P>0.05). Visual acuity improvement was seen at 3 months after IVTA injection (P=0.03). Nevertheless no significant alteration was observed between baseline and final average visual acuities (P>0.05). The mean IOP after IVTA (16.2 ± 3.2 mmHg) was higher than the mean IOP before IVTA (14.9 ± 2.3 mmHg) (P=0.003). Five eyes received temporary topical glaucoma treatment. Mean central retinal thickness before treatment (544 ± 179 µm) was decreased to 308 ± 123 µm at final visit (P
Conclusion:
IVTA for macular edema provides anatomical improvement. Although visual acuity improved within first 3 months, IVTA could not prevent visual acuity decrease thereafter. IOP rise and cataract formation were the frequent complications of IVTA procedure.
Keywords: Macular edema, intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide, diabetes mellitus, retinal vein occlusion