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Repeat dexamethasone implants yield controlled visual function in eyes with noninfectious uveitis
Repeated dexamethasone pellet implants in eyes with noninfectious uveitis resulted in improvement in retinal thickness and long-term visual function and resolution of ocular inflammation, according to a study conducted in the United Kingdom.
The retrospective, observational case study included 38 eyes of 27 patients with noninfectious uveitis, of which 14 eyes received one Ozurdex dexamethasone implant (Allergan) and 24 eyes received multiple dexamethasone implants.
Mean follow-up after the first implant was 17.3 months. After the first implant, mean best corrected visual acuity improved from 0.47 ± 0.05 logMAR to 0.27 ± 0.07 logMAR, central retinal thickness decreased by 263 µm ± 44 µm (P = .003), vitreous haze score increased from 58% to 83% (P = .03), and IOP was within normal limits: 16.5 ± 0.7 mm Hg at baseline to 19 ± 1.4 mm Hg at 2 months.
Repeated dexamethasone implants resulted in continued improvement in best corrected visual acuity and central retinal thickness. Improvements lasted 6 months or more after each implant.
“Our results support that dexamethasone pellet implantation is a safe approach even among previous steroid responders, with most maintaining normal IOP levels, and those with increased IOP can be managed easily,” the study authors said.
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of all authors’ relevant financial disclosures.