Intraocular pressure in patients with uveitis treated with fluocinolone acetonide implants

Objective: To report the incidence and management of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with uveitis treated with the fluocinolone acetonide (FA) intravitreal implant. Design: Pooled data from 3 multicenter, double-masked, randomized, controlled, phase 2b/3 clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of the 0.59-mg or 2.1-mg FA intravitreal implant or standard therapy were analyzed. Results: During the 3-year follow-up, 71.0% of implanted eyes had an IOP increase of 10 mm Hg or more than baseline and 55.1%, 24.7%, and 6.2% of eyes reached an IOP of 30 mm Hg or more, 40 mm Hg or more, and 50 mm Hg or more, respectively. Topical lOP-lowering medication was administered in 74.8% of implanted eyes, and lOP-lowering surgeries, most of which were trabeculectomies (76.2%), were performed on 36.6% of implanted eyes. Intraocular pressure-lowering surgeries were considered a success (postoperative IOP of 6-21 mm Hg with or without additional lOP-lowering medication) in 85.1% of eyes at 1 year. The rate of hypotony (IOP ≤ 5 mm Hg) following lOP-lowering surgery (42.5%) was not different from that of implanted eyes not subjected to surgery (35.4%) (P=.09). Conclusion: Elevated IOP is a significant complication with the FA intravitreal implant but may be controlled with medication and surgery.