Femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery combined with intravitreal dexamethasone implant in patients with cataract and diabetic macular edema

Purpose : To investigate the effectiveness and safety of combined femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery and dexamethasone intravitreal implant in patients with coexisting cataract and diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods : The charts of 14 (6 female, 8 male) consecutive patients who underwent combined femtosecond laser assisted phacoemulsification and intravitreal dexamethasone implant were retrospectively reviewed. All the patients observed 3 months of follow-up. Primary outcome was the change of the central retinal thickness (CRT); secondary outcome was the change of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Any ocular complications were recorded. Results : Mean CRT decreased significantly from 410±93 microns at baseline to 325±30 microns at 30 days (p = .003), to 305±30 microns at 60 days (p = .0005), and to 335±58 microns at 90 days (p = .016). Mean BCVA was 20/115 (logMAR, 0.75±0.36) at baseline and improved significantly to 20/55 (p =.018) at 30 days, to 20/55 (p=.04) at 60 days and to 20/58 (p=.04) at all postsurgery time points. No case of ocular hypertension was observed. No endophthalmitis or other ocular complications were recorded. Conclusions : Combined femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery and intravitreal slow-release dexamethasone implant appeared to be an effective approach on functional and tomographic outcomes for patients with coexisting cataract and DME for at least three months after surgery.