J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2013 Jan;54(1):117-122. 10.3341/jkos.2013.54.1.117.

Additional Retrobulbar Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection for Retrobulbar Optic Neuritis Patients

• Park JH
• Shin JP
• Chun BY

• KMID: 2216459
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2013.54.1.117

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the effect of additional retrobulbar triamcinolone acetonide (TA) injection on early recovery of visual acuity in retrobulbar optic neuritis patients.
METHODS
A prospective, randomized clinical study including 30 patients with retrobulbar optic neuritis was conducted between March 2003 and June 2007. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 9) with retrobulbar triamcinolone (TA, 40 mg/1 ml) injection on the first day of ONTT protocol, and group 2 (n = 21) with conventional ONTT protocol. The following parameters were measured and analyzed: patient's sex, age, pupillary reactions, color vision, visual field, and best-corrected visual acuity before treatment, and after 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months of follow-up.
RESULTS
Mean visual acuity before treatment was 1.00 +/- 0.89 log MAR units in group 1 and 0.98 +/- 0.75 log MAR units in group 2. One day after injection, visual acuity was better in group 1 (0.50 +/- 0.42 log MAR units) than in group 2 (0.73 +/- 0.61 log MAR units), however, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (p = 0.07). There was no significant difference in visual acuity, recovery of RAPD, color vision, or visual field at 3 months of follow-up. No serious side effect related to retrobulbar TA injection was observed.
CONCLUSIONS
Additional retrobulbar TA injection may help optic neuritis patients who have a need for prompt visual recovery. However, further studies are required to ascertain whether this procedure can help early recovery of visual acuity in retrobulbar optic neuritis patients.

Keyword

Best corrected visual acuity; Retrobulbar optic neuritis; Retrobulbar triamcinolone acetonide injection

MeSH Terms

Color Vision
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Optic Neuritis*
Prospective Studies
Triamcinolone
Triamcinolone Acetonide*
Visual Acuity
Visual Fields
Triamcinolone
Triamcinolone Acetonide

Figure

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  Figure 1. Mean BCVA before treatment and after 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months of follow-up.

Reference

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