The Effect of Single Dose Intravitreal Triamcinolone Injection on Intraocular Pressures in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose: To investigate the effect of 8 mg/0.2 ml intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection on intraocular pressures (IOP) in patients with diabetic macular edema. Materials-Methods: Thirty-three eyes of 33 patients (mean age: 57.8 +/- 12.6 years) with diabetic macular edema were included in the study. In all eyes, intraocular pressures were measured with applanation tonometer before and at the first day, first week, first month, second months, third months and at the last visits after intravitreal injection of 8 mg/0.2 ml triamcinolone. Data were evaluated and analyzed with variance analysis, post-ANOVA Tukey and Dunnett tests. Results: Mean TOPs before and after intravitreal triamcinolone injection at the 1. day, 1. week, 1. month, 2. months, 3. months and at the last visits were 13.1 +/- 3.6 mmHg, 15.5 +/- 4.5 mmHg, 15.9 +/- 5.4 mmHg, 17.7 +/- 4.4 mmHg, 17.0 +/- 4.1 mmHg, 16.3 +/- 3.4 mmHg, 15.4 +/- 2.8 mmHg, respectively. IOPs determined at the control examinations after injection were statistically significant when compared with pretreatment values (P>.001). Mean TOPs increased maximally by 35.1% at the first month after injection. A rise in IOP to values higher than 21 mmHg was observed in 7 eyes. At the last visits, 3 eyes required antiglaucomatous medication to control TOP, but two of them had diagnosis of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) before injection. Conclusion: An IOP elevation can be observed in about 20% of eyes after intravitreal injections of 8 mg/0.2 ml of triamcinolone acetonide and TOPs could be lowered to normal range with antiglaucoma medication. But the patients with POAG should be followed-up closely to avoid optic nerve head damage.