Intravitreal vs. subtenon triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of diabetic cystoid macular edema

Abstract

Abstract Background To assess the efficacy of the intravitreal (IVT) injection of Triamcinolone Acetonide (TA) as compared to posterior subtenon (SBT) capsule injection for the treatment of cystoid diabetic macular edema. Methods Fourteen patients with type II diabetes mellitus and on insulin treatment, presenting diffuse cystoid macular edema were recruited. Before TA injection all focal lakes were treated by laser photocoagulation. In the same patients one eye was assigned to 4 mg IVT injection of TA and the fellow eye was then treated with 40 mg SBT injection of TA. Before and one, three and six months after treatment we measured visual acuity with ETDRS chart as well as thickness of the macula with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intraocular pressure (IOP). Results The eyes treated with an IVT injection displayed significant improvement in visual acuity, both after one (0.491 ± 0.070; p Macular thickness of the eyes treated with IVT injection was significantly reduced both after one (222.7 ± 13.4 μm; p Intraocular pressure of the eyes treated with IVT injection significantly increased after one month (17.7 ± 1.1 mm/Hg; p Conclusion The parabulbar subtenon approach can be considered a valid alternative to the intravitreal injection. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN67086909