April 2010
Volume 51, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2010
Long-Term Persistence of Pre-Retinal Crystals Following Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection
M. A. William; H. F. Fine; J. L. Prenner; D. B. Roth; B. J. Keyser; H. E. Grossniklaus; Q. Ghadiali; S. N. Green
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • M. A. William
    Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • H. F. Fine
    Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • J. L. Prenner
    Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • D. B. Roth
    Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • B. J. Keyser
    Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • H. E. Grossniklaus
    Dept of Ophthal, School of Medicine, Emory Univ, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Q. Ghadiali
    Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • S. N. Green
    Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  M.A. William, None; H.F. Fine, Auris Surgical Robotics, I; Genentech, C; Allergan, C; Auris Surgical Robotics, C; Eyetech, C; Auris Surgical Robotics, P; J.L. Prenner, Neovista, E; Ophthotech, E; OPKO, E; Alcon, C; Allergan, C; Eyetech, C; Neovista, C; Ophthotech, C; OPKO, C; OPKO, P; D.B. Roth, None; B.J. Keyser, None; H.E. Grossniklaus, None; Q. Ghadiali, None; S.N. Green, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  None.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2010, Vol.51, 5112. doi:
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      M. A. William, H. F. Fine, J. L. Prenner, D. B. Roth, B. J. Keyser, H. E. Grossniklaus, Q. Ghadiali, S. N. Green; Long-Term Persistence of Pre-Retinal Crystals Following Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2010;51(13):5112.

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Abstract

Purpose: : The purpose of this report is to describe a series of patients with retinal crystals observed greater than one year following intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide.

Methods: : In this retrospective, interventional, non-comparative, single-center case series, patients were identified who underwent intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide with subsequent observation of crystalline retinopathy greater than 1 year since injection. Clinical charts, fundus photography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were reviewed. One vitrectomy sample was sent for electron microscopy.

Results: : Ten eyes of 9 patients were included: 5 females and 4 males with a mean age of 64 years. The underlying diagnosis was: diabetic macular edema (6 eyes), branch vein occlusion (3 eyes), and choroidal neovascularization (1 eye). The logMAR acuity improved from 0.898 at baseline to 0.747 at one year (Snellen 20/158 to 20/112). Pre-retinal crystals were observed between 1.0 and 3.1 years following intravitreal injection. All patients had an attached vitreous in the affected eye. This unique crystalline retinopathy is characterized by clusters of white-yellow, pre-retinal, refractile crystals in a roughly circular distribution within the arcades, possibly localizing anatomically to the posterior bursa premacularis. OCT confirmed the pre-retinal location of crystals. Electron microscopy was performed in one patient who underwent subsequent pars plana vitrectomy. Nine eyes were phakic prior to triamcinolone injection, and of these 5 proceeded to cataract extraction.

Conclusions: : Pre-retinal crystals may persist for years following intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in humans. Whether these crystals represent impurities such as preservative or triamcinolone that failed to dissolve remains unclear. Clinicians ought to consider remote triamcinolone injection in the differential diagnosis of patients with retinal crystals.

Keywords: drug toxicity/drug effects • vitreous 
© 2010, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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