MACULAR EDEMA PATIENT SELECTION METHOD AND TREATMENT WITH EYE IMPLANT COMPRISING A STEROID

摘要

The present invention is a method of screening a patient with macular edema associated with visual loss for implantation of a sustained release drug-delivery implant that is less invasive than implanting a drug-delivery implant and is minimally invasive. The method comprises injecting a first steroid, eg. triamcinolone acetonide, having anti-inflammatory activity as a bolus into a patient's eye. Patients that experience a reduction in swelling in the retina (typically the macula and preferably the fovia) and improved vision are identified as candidate patients. Candidate patients are patients that are more likely to benefit from the implantation of a sustained release drug-delivery implant into the eye containing a second steroid, for example fluocinolone acetonide.