Comparative analysis of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide–moxifloxacin versus standard perioperative eyedrops in cataract surgery

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide–moxifloxacin (Tri-Moxi)to a standard eyedrop regimen in controlling postoperative inflammation, corneal edema, and the rate of high intraocular pressure (IOP)among cataract patients. Setting: Loma Linda University Eye Institute, California, USA. Design: Retrospective longitudinal comparative study. Methods: The electronic medical records of patients who underwent cataract surgery using triamcinolone acetonide–moxifloxacin injection along with a postoperative nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug drop were reviewed (Group 1). Group 1 was compared with patients who received a standard eyedrop (Group 2)in terms of intraocular inflammation and corneal edema severity, and the rate of high IOP, postoperatively. Results: A total of 1195 consecutive eyes (Group 1 [681 eyes], Group 2 [514 eyes])of 919 patients were included in the study. The anterior chamber cell reaction severity decreased by 34.0% and 35.7% at 1 week and 1 month, respectively, after surgery following triamcinolone acetonide–moxifloxacin injection compared with standard eyedrop therapy (P =.001 and P =.02, respectively). Group 1 was associated with increased severity of corneal edema (odds ratio, 1.48; P =.001)on postoperative day 1, with no statistically significant difference at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively (P =.25 and P =.48, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of high IOP between the two groups at different timepoints postoperatively. Conclusions: Triamcinolone acetonide–moxifloxacin injection is an effective method to control intraocular inflammation after cataract surgery. It is a promising substitute for standard eyedrop therapy, especially for patients who have poor compliance with eyedrop usage.