Role of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of secondary macular edema

Aim of the workThe aim of the work is to evaluate the efficacy of an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in cases with secondary macular edema.Patients and methodsA total of 24 eyes with secondary macular edema were included in this study. Patients were classified into three groups. Group A included 10 patients with macular edema secondary to nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, group B included eight patients with macular edema secondary to branch vein occlusion, and group C included six patients with macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion. Further classification of the three groups was performed according to the nature of macular edema, whether perfused or ischemic. All groups received a single intravitreal injection dose of 4 mg of triamcinolone acetonide. Ophthalmological assessments performed were best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure measurement using applanation tonometry, and fundus biomicroscopy. Also, optical coherence tomography and fundus fluorescein angiography were performed to evaluate the progression of macular edema. All examinations and investigations were performed regularly during follow-up visits. All data were analyzed and recorded.ResultsThere was significantly greater improvement in macular edema in group B than in groups A and C. Perfused macular edema showed better results than ischemic edema in the three groups.ConclusionAn intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide seems to be an effective and harmless treatment for macular edema, especially following branch vein occlusion.