Comparison of safety and efficacy of single dose intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide 1.0 mg versus dexamethasone 0.7 mg intravitreal implant in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion

This was a hospital based prospective, comparative study in which we compared the safety and efficacy of single intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) (1.0 mg) and single intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IVD) (0.7 mg) in treating macular edema (ME) dueto retinal vein occlusion (RVO), including both Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO) & Central Retinal Vein Occlusion(CRVO). 40 patients with ME having central macular thickness (CMT) >300µ on optical coherence tomography (OCT) were randomised to two groups. One group received single 1 mg IVTA and other group single 0.7 mg IVD. Log MAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), CMT by OCT, intraocular pressure (IOP) by Goldmann’s applanation tonometer (GAT) & cataract status were evaluated before injection and at 1, 3 and 6 months after injection. There was no significant difference in change in BCVA between IVTA and IVD groups (p=0.231).There was no significant difference in change in mean CMT between IVTA and IVD groups (p = 0.095). There was no significant difference in change in IOP between IVTA and IVD groups (p = 0.653).About, 50% patients showed cataract progression in IVTA group while in IVD group cataract progression observed in 45% of patients. Following the injection, at all stages IVD was superior in terms of vision improvement and CMT reduction. However, this superiority was not statistically significant. Progression of cataract was comparable in both the drugs.