Objectives To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Ozurdex, a dexamethasone (DEX) implant, for the treatment of macular edema (ME) caused by retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) through a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods The PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were comprehensively searched from inception to July 11, 2021 for studies evaluating the clinical efficacy of Ozurdex for patients with retinal vein occlusion macular edema (RVO-ME) or diabetic macular edema (DME). Eligible studies were published in English and were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool was applied to assess the risk of bias in each study. Effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using the random effects model. We also conducted subgroup analyses to explore sources of heterogeneity and the stability of the results.Results This meta-analysis included 7 RCTs (RVO-ME [n=2] and DME [n=5]) assessing a total of 251 eyes. Compared with anti-VEGF therapy, Ozurdex treatment achieved superior outcomes in terms of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (mean difference [MD] =-2.83 ([95% CI, -5.60 to -0.05], P=0.05), while no heterogeneity was found (P=0.49, I2=0%). Ozurdex treatment also significantly reduced central macular thickness (CMT) compared with anti-VEGF treatment (MD =-31.32 [95% CI, -57.92 to -4.72], P=0.02) and showed high between-trial heterogeneity (P=0.04, I2=54%). In terms of severe adverse events, Ozurdex treatment had a higher risk of elevated intraocular pressure than anti-VEGF therapy (RR=5.14; 95% CI: 1.42 to 18.66; P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in cataract progression between the two groups (RR=1.83; 95% CI: 0.63 to 5.27, P=0.31).Conclusions Compared with anti-VEGF therapy, Ozurdex treatment is more effective in improving BCVA and reducing ME. Additionally, Ozurdex treatment has a higher risk of elevated intraocular pressure. Due to the small number of studies and the short follow-up period, the results should be interpreted with caution. The long-term effects of the two treatments need to be further determined.