Prediction of visual acuity improvement after intravitreal, triamcinolone acetonide injection in cases of diffuse diabetic macular edema

ABSTRACT

This study aims at identifying which factors affect the visual improvement following intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide [IVTA] injections. This is important in order to avoid injection of cases with expected poor improvement. 62 eyes with diffuse- diabetic macular edema of 48 patients were received IVTA injections of 4 mg. Visual acuity assessment, Fluorescein angiography and measurements of macular thickness by Optical Coherent Tomography [OCT] were done before and 3 months after injection. The data are collected and statistically analyzed. Visual improvement was found to he affected by the pre- injection macular thickness, macular ischemia, duration of visual loss, previous laser treatment. Age of the patient did not show significant influence on the degree of improvement of vision. The effect of IVTA can be expected by meticulous preoperative assessment. This is important in order to avoid useless injections