The effects of intravitreal adalimumab injection on pseudophakic macular edema

OBJECTIVE: Pseudophakic macular edema is a frequent complication following cataract surgery. Inflammation is a major etiologic factor in the development of pseudophakic cystoid macular edema. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha has an important role in ocular inflammation. Adalimumab (Humira) is an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor-alpha that has been approved in the United States. An open-label, uncontrolled, prospective, interventional study of five consecutive patients (5 eyes) with cystoid macular edema who were treated with off-label intravitreal adalimumab at Khalili Hospital was conducted. Slit-lamp examination and optical coherence tomography were done for all patients. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was detected between best corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness before and after injection in pseudophakic macular edema. One patient developed uveitis approximately 2 weeks after injection. Based on the results, adalimumab does not appear to be an effective treatment for pseudophakic macular edema, and it may cause uveitis. Caution should be exercised when using this drug. Trial registration Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT2016100430130N1, 2016.12.03, Retrospectively registered