Triamcinolone injection significantly increases cataract risk

Researchers analyzed prospective data from a randomized trial of 57 phakic eyes with diabetic macular oedema treated with either intravitreal triamcinolone or sham injection. More than half of the triamcinolone-treated eyes required cataract surgery within three years, compared to 8 percent in the sham group.  Two-thirds of eyes treated with three or more injections showed progression of subcapsular cataract. Visual outcomes after cataract surgery were generally good, although two eyes in the triamcinolone group lost more than 15 letters.