title: Long-term evaluation of patients treated with dexamethasone intravitreal implant for macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term visual prognosis and complications of patients who received intravitreal Ozurdex injections for the treatment of macular edema (ME) due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 17 patients who received Ozurdex injections in our institution as part of the GENEVA study were recalled for examination. Recorded parameters included final visual acuity (VA), final retinal thickness by optical coherence tomography, persistence of ME, and the occurrence of any complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean follow-up time was 50.5 months. Patients with branch RVO (BRVO) had a more favorable prognosis than central RVO (CRVO), and their mean VA had improved significantly, whereas the mean VA for the patients with CRVO did not improve significantly. Retinal thickness had reduced significantly in the whole group and in each subgroup separately. Complications included 10 patients with cataract progression, 1 with elevated intraocular pressure, and 1 with neovascularization and vitreous hemorrhage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first reported long-term evaluation of patients treated with Ozurdex. Our results indicate that it has favorable long-term safety profile, and may have a beneficial effect on the visual prognosis in BRVO even in the absence of continuous treatment. Further research is required to establish the optimal retreatment schedule for Ozurdex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. elad_moi@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moisseiev
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waisbourd
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loewenstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004343:Drug Implants; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004343:Drug Implants; D003907:Dexamethasone