Critical appraisal of the clinical utility of the dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex®) for the treatment of macular edema related to branch retinal vein occlusion or central retinal vein occlusion

Annie Chan, Loh-Shan Leung, Mark S BlumenkranzDepartment of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USAAbstract: Macular edema is a common cause of visual loss in patients with retinal vein occlusions. Ozurdex®, a dexamethasone intravitreal implant, has been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce macular edema and improve visual acuity in patients with either branch retinal vein occlusions or central retinal vein occlusions. It was approved in the United States in 2009. Since then, new therapeutic agents and clinical data have emerged. The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the clinical utility of Ozurdex® in the current treatment strategy of macular edema related to retinal vein occlusion.Keywords: macular edema, branch retinal vein occlusion, central retinal vein occlusion, dexamethasone, Ozurdex&reg