Effect of intravitreal injection of dexamethasone implant on corneal endothelium in macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of dexamethasone (DEX) implant (Ozurdex(®)) on corneal endothelium in patients with retinal vein occlusion complicated with macular edema.

Materials And Methods: Patients (n = 31) received 1-3 intravitreal DEX implants in one eye. Measurements were intraocular pressure (IOP) at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after the first intravitreal injection and corneal specular microscopy and central corneal thickness (CCT) at baseline and 1 and 6 months. We analyzed endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation of cell size (CV), and percentage of hexagonality.

Results: Mean follow-up period was 9.7 ± 3.3 months. Mean number of injections was 1.5 ± 0.8. Mean IOP values were 15.6 ± 2.6 mm Hg at baseline, 17.7 ± 3.6 mm Hg at one month, 16.4 ± 4.1 mm Hg at three months, and 16.0 ± 2.7 mm Hg at six months. There was a significant difference in mean IOPs at one month and six months (p = 0.008). There were no significant differences in mean ECD (p = 0.375), CV (p = 0.661), percentage of hexagonality (p = 0.287), and CCT (p = 0.331).

Conclusion: Although intravitreal injection of 0.7 mg DEX causes moderate elevation of IOP, it does not seem to have detrimental effects on corneal endothelium at six months.