Resolution of Macular Edema after Systemic Treatment with Furosemide

ABSTRACT

We report two cases of macular edema treated with the oral administration of furosemide. The first case presented here was a 78-year-old male patient with visual disturbance of the left eye. He had been taking an oral agent for diabetes and had chronic renal failure for 7 years. From 10 days prior to the visit, he had visual disturbance of the left eye accompanied by systemic edema. There were no specific findings in the anterior segment, but sub-retinal fluid was observed in the left fundus. Macular edema was observed on fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography; therefore, the oral administration of furosemide was initiated. After seven days, the sub-retinal fluid disappeared. The second case was a 43-year-old female patient with visual disturbance of the left eye who had been taking hypoglycemic agents for diabetes for 13 years. There were no specific findings in the anterior segment, but flame-shaped retinal hemorrhages were scattered over both posterior poles, neovascularization was observed in the left eye, and, of particular note, sub-retinal fluid was detected in the macula of the left eye. Macular edema was also observed on fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography, and oral administration of furosemide was initiated. After 3 weeks, the macular edema had significantly decreased.