Reduction Of Macular Edema Research Articles

Precipitation of hard exudate after resorption of intraretinal edema after treatment of retinal branch vein occlusion

PURPOSE: To present evidence that precipitation of hard exudate in the retina can occur after reduction of macular edema by successful photocoagulation treatment for retinal branch vein occlusion.METHODS: A 59-year-old woman received argon laser retinal photocoagulation treatment for retinal branch vein occlusion over the primarily involved engorged area of the retina. Fundus changes were documented by fundus photography and optical coherence tomography.RESULTS: Before treatment, an extensive intraretinal edema with cavity formation and a small serous foveal detachment extended outside the engorged area of the retina. Three months after treatment, all retinal thickening had disappeared, but a markedly increased amount of intraretinal hard exudate was seen adjacent to the treated area.CONCLUSIONS: Precipitation of hard exudate can occur after reduction of macular edema by successful retinal photocoagulation treatment, presumably because water and highly soluble electrolytes are resorbed faster than lipids. This phenomenon should be distinguished from accumulation of hard exudate resulting from disease progression.

Reduction of macular oedema by acetazolamide in patients with chronic iridocyclitis: a randomised prospective crossover study.

Thirty patients with cystoid macular oedema secondary to chronic iridocyclitis were enrolled in a two period, prospective, randomised, double masked, crossover study that compared sustained release acetazolamide (500 mg twice a day) with a placebo to measure the effects on the reduction of cystoid macular oedema and improvement of visual acuity. All patients were treated for 1 month with either acetazolamide or placebo, received no treatment for 1 month, and were then treated for 1 month with the other medication. Statistically significant improvement in visual acuity was seen at 14 and 28 days in the treated patients. No improvement was seen when patients received placebo. Improved visual acuity was not associated with race or sex. However, younger patients (under age 55 years) were more likely to benefit from treatment. Results of vitreous fluorophotometry, obtained at baseline and 4 weeks, demonstrated an improvement in posterior vitreous penetration ratios and mid vitreous penetration ratios after treatment with acetazolamide but not with placebo.

Long-term treatment of retinitis pigmentosa with acetazolamide

The therapeutic effect of long-term treatment with acetazolamide (from 3 weeks to 16 months) of seven patients with retinitis pigmentosa was studied. Improvement in visual acuity was found in almost all the eyes, accompanied by an improvement in the macular threshold in two patients. The therapeutic effect was independent of reduction of macular edema, as judged by fluorescein angiography.