Ocular hypertension after intravitreal triamcinolone with vitrectomy and phacoemulsification

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of adjunctive intravitreal triamcinolone (IVTA) on intraocular pressure (IOP) in the setting of combined vitrectomy with phacoemulsification. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred thirty-one consecutive eyes undergoing nonemergent vitrectomy with phacoemulsification and IVTA were reviewed and included in the analysis. All 131 eyes received 4 mg IVTA at the end of surgery. METHODS: Pre-and postoperative IOP, use of pressure-lowering medications, and rate of glaucoma surgery were analyzed. Pre-operative risk factors were analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: IOP, glaucoma medications, or glaucoma surgery. RESULTS: Secondary ocular hypertension (defined as IOP ≥ 25 mmHg) was found in 28 eyes (21%), the majority during postoperative day 1 only. Twelve eyes (9%) had an elevated IOP measurement noted at a visit after the first postoperative day. Five (4%) had an IOP rise of ≥10 mmHg over baseline at any time after postoperative day 1. Six (5%) required glaucoma medications. One eye required a glaucoma drainage implant for diabetic neovascular angle closure glaucoma, and one eye required enucleation for intractable neovascular glaucoma due to radiation retinopathy. Elevated postoperative IOP was statistically associated with higher baseline IOP and presence of preoperative glaucoma. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic intravitreal triamcinolone with combined vitrectomy and phacoemulsification causes infrequent and usually mild secondary ocular hypertension. Secondary ocular hypertension is associated with preoperative glaucoma and high IOP.