Diabetic Macular Edema Treatment
If you've been living with diabetic retinopathy (DR), this is probably a moment you hoped would never happen
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a common cause of moderate visual impairment among people with diabetes. Due to the rising number of people with diabetes in India, the absolute numbers of people with DME are significant. There are several treatment options for DME, and the choice of treatment is based on the availability of retinal specialists and infrastructure for the delivery of treatment. A major challenge is the out-of-pocket expenditure incurred by patients as most treatment options are costly. Treatment also varies based on the associated ocular and systemic conditions.
EVERY CASE OF diabetic macular edema is different and so is every treatment plan. Our eye doctors will go over all your options and offer recommendations based on several factors: the severity of your edema, your degree of vision impairment, other eye conditions you may have, the latest research, and their own experience
And that treatment usually means eye injections. The thought of needles anywhere near your eyes, combined with the threat of vision loss, can be paralyzing.
So, allow us to reassure you of two things:
Treatment for diabetic macular edema should be relatively painless, and today's therapies are incredibly effective at halting—and often even reversing—vision loss.
Choices may include anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections, steroid implants, and/or laser treatments. Sometimes, a wait-and-see approach may be recommended as the best course of treatment, too, if you have center-focused DME and your vision is still good. Other times, tangential procedures like cataract sugery may be required to handle complications of diabetes. (Research shows cataract surgery can be successful in improving eyesight in people with DME.) Let's take a clear look at each option, starting with the current gold standard of care, anti-VEGF medications.
