Purpose: To report the safety and efficacy of intravitreal triamcinolone in the treatment of inflammatory cystoid macular oedema (CMO) in six patients who were resistant to other forms of therapy.
Methods: An open-label unmasked prospective nonrandomized pilot study of six patients with idiopathic uveitis and visually significant macular oedema, resistant to periocular and/or systemic corticosteroid treatment, was carried out. Baseline examination and investigations were performed, including fundus fluorescein angiography, and the patients were given a single intravitreal injection of triamcinolone (4 mg/0.1 mL). The primary outcome measure was angiographic resolution of CMO. Patients were reviewed at intervals of 2-4 weeks for 12 months.
Results: A single intravitreal injection of triamcinolone induced clinical and angiographic resolution of inflammatory macular oedema in all patients for varying periods of time up to 6 months. Five patients experienced increased intraocular pressure to 30 mmHg or greater which required treatment. Two patients developed posterior subcapsular cataract.
Conclusion: One injection of intravitreal triamcinolone was an effective short-term treatment for resistant CMO in uveitis. As with steroids given by other routes, raised intraocular pressure and cataract may occur. As it was so effective in these eyes with resistant CMO, a larger study is warranted to evaluate this form of therapy.