The pros and cons of intravitreal triamcinolone injections for uveitis and inflammatory cystoid macular edema

Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) injections are gaining in popularity and are regularly administered nowadays for various ocular diseases. This paper presents a literature review on the use, efficacy, and complications of IVTA application in non-infectious uveitis and inflammatory cystoid macular edema (CME). In addition, we describe the experiences of our own institute. IVTA applications brought about a quick improvement in vision in the majority of cases. Drawbacks included the temporary duration of the effect with the need for repeated injections which re-exposed patients to the risk of complications. The risk of bacterial endophthalmitis was 0.5% and was further influenced by the specific IVTA preparation. Based on the literature review, we chose ready-for-use IVTA injections prepared by our pharmacy department, in which 90% of the toxic additives were removed and the dispensed dose of triamcinolone acetonide was validated to diminish the risk of endophthalmitis. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) was seen in 30-43% of the eyes and cataract developed in 29% of the eyes of patients, who were usually of advanced age. In conclusion, the rapid effect of IVTA might be of value in severe presentations of non-infectious uveitis and CME and might shorten the time interval needed for the improvement.