ABSTRACT
The main goal in the treatment of uveitis is to eliminate intraocular inflammation and thereby relieve discomfort and prevent visually significant complications such as cataract, cystoid macular edema, and hypotony. An increasing number of sustained-release drug devices using different mechanisms and containing a variety of immunosuppressive agents have been developed to treat uveitis. Uveitis treatments can be delivered topically, periocularly, intraocularly or systemically, and there are problems common to all delivery techniques and specific to each delivery method. Although corticosteroids are the first-line treatment for uveitis and can be delivered topically, local injection or systemically, they are associated with a number of side effects and recurrence of inflammation frequently occurs after cessation of treatment. A biodegradable polymer matrix containing dexamethasone has been developed to treat postcataract uveitis. Direct intraocular injection of cyclosporine has been shown to control intraocular inflammation in an animal model of uveitis.
