Efficacy of silicone oil removal combined with intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of macular edema in eyes filled with silicone oil

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of silicone oil removal combined with intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in treating macular edema in silicone oil eyes. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on the patients with macular edema in eyes filled with silicone oil. The retinal detachment of each patient has been resolved for more than three months. Silicone oil was removed from each patient through pars plana trocar, and 2 mg triamcinolone acetonide suspension was injected into the vitreous cavity. The patients were followed up for at least three months. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) in each patient were compared with paired t-test. Results Twenty eyes of 20 patients were enrolled in this study and the mean follow-up time was 12.1 months. The mean BCVA improved from 1.08 ± 0.44 LogMAR before the operation to 0.61 ± 0.31 LogMAR at the final visit (P < 0.001). The mean CFT reduced from 478.95 ± 121.97 µm before the operation to 270.20 ± 135.35 µm at the final visit (P < 0.001). Four patients (20%) developed temporal high intraocular pressure (IOP), all of which could be treated with topical IOP-lowering drugs. Conclusion Silicon oil removal combined with intravitreal triamcinolone injection can effectively improve visual acuity and alleviate macular edema without severe complications in silicone oil eyes with macular edema.