Strong topical steroid, NSAID, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor cocktail for treatment of cystoid macular edema

PURPOSE: To report the combination cocktail of strong steroid, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor drops for treatment of cystoid macular edema. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of patients with cystoid macular edema managed with a topical combination of strong steroid (difluprednate), NSAID, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor drops. The patients were followed with optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography. RESULTS: In our six cases, resolution of the cystic edema with improvement in visual acuity was achieved with the use of a combination cocktail of drops. Leakage on fluorescein angiography and cystic edema on optical coherence tomography both responded to treatment with the topical cocktail of drops. CONCLUSION: A topical cocktail of strong steroid, NSAID, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor drops are effective for managing cystoid macular edema. Further studies comparing this combination with more invasive treatments should be undertaken to determine the efficacy of this cocktail over other treatment options.