Efficacy of Ozurdex implant in treatment of noninfectious intermediate uveitis

AIMS: To report our experiences using Ozurdex, a biodegradable implant, containing 0.7 mg of dexamethasone in the treatment of noninfectious intermediate uveitis. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Retrospective study design. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of medical records of patients with noninfectious intermediate uveitis having either cystoid macular edema (CME) or vitritis who were not responsive to standard treatment and subsequently received Ozurdex implant from March 2011 to April 2013. The outcomes measured were best-corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness (CRT), and vitreous haze score. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Paired t-test was used to test the significance of difference between quantitative variables. A P < 0.05 is taken to denote significant relationship. RESULTS: Twenty eyes of 15 patients with mean age of 39.8 years who received Ozurdex implant were included in the study. The mean baseline visual acuity improved from 0. 666 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units to 0.479 logMAR units at 6 weeks after the implant. The mean CRT improved from 536.1 to 361.4 microns at 6 weeks postimplant both parameters were statistically significant. The ocular inflammation was controlled in almost all the patients. Cataract and raised intraocular pressure were documented complications. CONCLUSION: Ozurdex implant is a promising treatment option and efficient in controlling the inflammation and CME in cases of noninfectious intermediate uveitis not responding to standard treatment.