Aim: To report on visual outcome of patients receiving an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide for treatment of diffuse diabetic macular oedema.
Methods: Prospective, comparative, non-randomised clinical interventional study included 136 patients with diffuse diabetic macular oedema. Patients of the study group (97 eyes) received an intravitreal injection of 20-25 mg of triamcinolone acetonide and no other retinal treatment. Patients of the control group (69 eyes) received focal or panretinal laser treatment if indicated. Mean (standard deviation) follow up was 8.4 (SD 6.0) months (range 1.03-25.2 months).
Results: Visual acuity (VA) increased significantly (p<0.001) in the study group with 66 (68%) eyes gaining in VA by at least two Snellen lines. In the control group, VA did not change significantly during the first 4 months of follow up, and decreased significantly (p<0.001) towards the end of the follow up. Difference in change of best VA was significant (p<0.001) between both groups. Correspondingly, the number of patients with VA improvement of two or more Snellen lines and visual loss of two or more Snellen lines, respectively, was significantly (p<0.001) higher and lower, respectively, in the study group.
Conclusions: Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide can temporarily increase VA in some patients with diffuse diabetic macular oedema.