Intra-Vitreal Kenalog (Steroid)
Steroids have been used for decades to treat inflammatory disorders of the eye. They are effective when used as eye drops, shots next to the eye, and oral pills. Steroids are occasionally given intravenously for disease that can cause severe vision loss like multiple sclerosis, trauma, and giant cell arteritis.
In the past few years, intraocular injections of long acting steroid has proven useful in treating macular swelling from retinal vascular as well as from inflammatory diseases. Below is a fluorescein angiogram and a retinal scan from a diabetic who had a dramatic response to intraocular steroid injection. The vision improved from 20/200 (top three photos) to 20/30 (bottom photo) in 2 months.
Adverse effects of Kenalog
There is a small risk of infection with any intraocular injection. There is also a risk of cataract and glaucoma. Cataracts and intraocular pressure rise occur in many eyes treated with Kenalog. Because of these two complications, many retina specialists use this treatment mostly in patients who have already have cataract surgery and do not have glaucoma.
