Steroid injections into the Eye best for Macular Edema

The Periocular and Intravitreal Corticosteroids for Uveitic Macular Edema(POINT) Trial was just published by National Institutes of Health.

For patients with CME from uveitis, injections into the eye worked better than injections on the outside surface of the eye

• 46% reduction with Ozurdex (dexamethasone) implant in vitreous 39% reduction with triamcinolone acetonide (Triesence) in vitreous 23% reduction with triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog) in periocular space

Each treatment was better than doing nothing, but the two intravitreal injections were best. Retina specialists often treat these patients with periocular (outside the eye) injections. This study argues that injections inside the eye are the more effective treatment.