Intravitreal dexamethasone implant for the treatment of cystoid macular oedema associated with acute retinal necrosis

BACKGROUND: Acute retinal necrosis is a rare but devastating ocular condition. We report two cases of acute retinal necrosis in immunocompetent patients, complicated by cystoid macular oedema and treated with intravitreal dexamethasone (OZURDEX®) implant. RESULTS: Two patients diagnosed with acute retinal necrosis were treated with intravenous acyclovir. Both of them developed cystoid macular oedema following resolution of viral retinitis. Ocular condition of the first patient was further complicated by central serous chorioretinopathy. Under unavoidable circumstances, cystoid macular oedema in both the patients was treated with intravitreal dexamethasone implant with great caution. Resolution of cystoid macular oedema without recurrence of viral retinitis was noted in the long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of the case report should be interpreted cautiously, and extreme caution should be exercised prior deciding the management with a corticosteroid implant in patients with viral retinitis. However, intravitreal dexamethasone implant can be a useful option in selected patients with cystoid macular oedema in acute retinal necrosis.