Intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide as treatment for chronic uveitis

Chronic intraocular inflammation such as chronic uveitis can lead to cystoid macular oedema, papilloedema, and vitreous opacities temporarily or permanently reducing visual acuity. Chronic uveitis has usually been treated by topical or systemic application of steroids. Topical treatment, however, often has not been sufficiently effective to suppress intraocular inflammation and to reduce cystoid macular oedema. Systemic treatment with steroids inevitably leads to secondary side effects such as systemic suppression of the whole immune system and Cushing’s syndrome. Taking into account that the eye comprises only 0.01% of the whole body volume, and considering that for achieving high concentrations of a drug at its site of action it is best to apply it directly into the region of required action, we describe the clinical outcome in a patient receiving an intravitreal injection of a crystalline cortisone.