Intraocular Pressure Changes Following the Administration of Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant: A Mini -Review

Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant (IDI) (Ozurdex®, Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA) is the sustained-release corticosteroid device approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of macular edema resulting from diabetes mellitus, non-infectious uveitis and retinal vein occlusion. Along with its anti-inflammatory effects, the most common associated side-effects are cataract formation and intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Although the exact pathophysiological mechanism remains unclear, increased aqueous outflow resistance resulted from the biochemical and structural changes in the trabecular meshwork is deemed responsible for the already well-known IOP elevation. This mini-review evaluated the major clinical trials on IOP changes following the 0.7 mg IDI administration and summarized their main results on IOP changes and its management.