Diabetic macular edema

Abstract

The most common cause of visual disability associated with diabetes is diabetic maculopathy. New insights into the pathoanatomy of clinically significant diabetic macular edema (CSDME) have recently been revealed via optical coherence tomography (OCT). OCT reveals that there exist several different patterns of diabetic macular edema. This may implications for visual outcomes and responses to treatment, particularly anti-angiogenic drugs and intravitreal corticosteroids. Additionally, OCT is much more sensitive than clinical examination for identifying vitreomacular interface abnormalities and can be helpful for identifying good candidates for surgery. OCT is the only imaging modality capable of accurate measurement of the macular thickness, which is a sensitive parameter for identifying diabetic macular edema and has a strong correlation with visual acuity in specific patterns of macular edema. OCT, in conjunction with fluorescein angiography (FA) and clinical examination is an indispensable tool for the treatment and evaluation of diabetic macular edema.