Subconjunctival Injection of Triamcinolone Acetonide for the Management of Pseudophakic Cystoid Macular Edema

Background To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a subconjunctival injection of 10 mg triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for the treatment of PCME. Methods This retrospective observational case series study included treatment-naïve patients with PCME who received a subconjunctival injection of 10 mg TA. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA; logMAR) and intraocular pressure (IOP) were recorded. Results The study included 16 PCME patients with an average age of 65.4 ± 5.8 years. In the study population, 14 patients received a single injection, and 2 patients received a second injection at the 2-month follow-up. At the 3-month follow-up, complete resolution of central macular edema was achieved in 93.8% (15/16) of the eyes, and 62.5% (10/16) of the eyes gained a visual acuity of 0.2 logMAR or more. The baseline central macular thickness decreased from 506 (429, 688) µm to 288 (280, 320) µm (3 months, p < 0.001). BCVA increased from 0.35 (0.20, 0.50) to 0.05 (0.00, 0.10) (3 months, p < 0.001). The mean IOP increased from 13.2 ± 3.5 to 14.5 ± 2.6 mmHg (3 months, p = 0.39). After the surgical excision of the steroid depot, the elevated IOP returned to a normal IOP in 6.3% (1/16) of the eyes. Conclusion Subconjunctival injection of TA is an effective and safe treatment for PCME.