Exploring the morphological and functional retinal changes after dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex®) in...

To explore functional and morphological retinal changes 6 months after dexamethasone intravitreal implant (DEX implant) for the treatment of macular edema due to central or branch retinal vein occlusion (CRVO, BRVO).

In this prospective interventional case series patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination at baseline and monthly, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spectral domain-optical coherence tomography and microperimetry. Fluorescein angiography was performed at baseline and at 4 months. All patients were treated with a DEX implant and retreated according to predefined criteria starting from month 4.

Sixteen patients (mean age 66 ± 13 years, 14 CRVO, 2 BRVO) were included. At 6 months mean retinal sensitivity improved from 9.7 ± 4.6 to 13.6 ± 5.4 dB (p < 0.0001) while mean BCVA improved from 52.4 ± 16.2 to 66.1 ± 16.6 (p < 0.0001). Mean central retinal thickness decreased from 708.3 ± 151.01 to 362.7 ± 177.4 μm (p < 0.0001); 56.2% of eyes were retreated at month 4.

At 6 months DEX implant led to a significant improvement in retinal sensitivity and visual acuity associated with a reduction of retinal thickness in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.