Table 1.

Summary of ocular side effects reported in major randomized clinical trials of intravitreal steroid therapy for diabetic macular oedema.

Clinical trial	Steroid agent	Dose	Duration	Intraocular pressure rise		Cataract	Endophthalmitis
				Method for recording IOP rise varied across trials	Incisional glaucoma surgery	Cataract surgery
TDMO	Triamcinolone	4 mg	2 years	68%	5.9%	54%	1 case reported
	Kenacort 40			(>5 mmHg from baseline)
TDMO extension	Triamcinolone	4 mg	5 years	79%	9.0%	71%	Nil additional
	Kenacort 40			(>5 mmHg from baseline)
DRCRnet Protocol B	Triamcinolone	1 and 4 mg	3 years	18%	0%	46%	Nil
	Trivaris			33%	5%	86%	Nil
				(>10 mmHg from baseline)
DRCRnet Protocol I	Triamcinolone	4 mg	2 years	42%	1%	55%	Nil
	Trivaris			(>10 mmHg from baseline)
Retisert for DMO	Fluocinolone Retisert	0.59 mg	4 years	61%	33.8%	91%	Nil
				(IOP > 30 mmHg)
FAME	Fluocinolone Iluvien	0.2 μg per day	3 years	38.2%	4.8%	80%	Nil
				(IOP lowering medication)
PLACID	Dexamethasone	0.7 mg	1 year	15.2%	0%	3.2%	Nil
	Ozurdex			(>10 mmHg from baseline)
MEAD	Dexamethasone	0.35 and 0.7 mg	3 years	24.8%	0.3%	52.3%	Nil
	Ozurdex			27.7%	0.6%	59.2%	1 case reported
				(>10 mmHg from baseline)
BEVORDEX	Dexamethasone	0.7 mg	1 year	46%	0%	6.5%	Nil
	Ozurdex			(>5 mmHg from baseline)			1 case of syphilitic chorioretinitis

Note that there are inherent limitations to comparing complications across trials, particularly different entry requirements, baseline characteristics, duration of trials, methods for recording IOP rise and threshold for considering incisional glaucoma surgery.

IOP, intraocular pressure.