Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Intravitreal steroid versus macular laser for treatment of diabetic macular edema

  • Published:
Current Diabetes Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Diabetic macular edema is a leading cause of vision loss in the United States. Focal/grid laser photocoagulation has been the gold standard for treatment over the past two decades. Intravitreal pharmacologic treatments increasingly have been used over the past 5 years. Various studies have shown the possible benefits of intravitreal corticosteroids and anti-vascular endothelial growth factors in the treatment of diabetic macular edema. However, focal/grid laser photocoagulation continues to be the only proven safe and effective treatment for diabetic macular edema.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. American Diabetes Association: Diabetes statistics. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics.jsp. Accessed June 13, 2008.

  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Blindness caused by diabetes: Massachusetts, 1987–1994. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1996, 45:937–941.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Klein R, Klein B, Moss S, et al.: The Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study of Diabetic Retinopathy, IV: diabetic macular edema. Ophthalmology 1984, 91:1464–1474

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group: Photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema: ETDRS report number 4. Int Ophthalmol Clin 1987, 27:265–272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. The effect of intensive treatment of diabetes on the development and progression of long-term complications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group. N Engl J Med 1993, 329:977–986.

  6. UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group: Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 33). Lancet 1998, 352:837–853.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Stratton IM, Cull CA, Adler AI, et al.: Additive effects of glycaemia and blood pressure exposure on risk of complications in type 2 diabetes: a prospective observational study (UKPDS 75). Diabetologia 2006, 49:1761–1769.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hsu J: Drug delivery methods for posterior segment disease. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2007, 18:235–239.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Martidis A, Duker JS, Greenberg PB, et al.: Intravitreal triamcinolone for refractory diabetic macular edema. Ophthalmology 2002, 109:920–927.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Lewis H, Abrams GW, Blumenkranz MS, Campo RV: Vitrectomy for diabetic macular traction and edema associated with posterior hyaloidal traction. Ophthalmology 1992, 99:753–759.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Cunningham ET Jr, Adamis AP, Altaweel M, et al.: Macugen Diabetic Retinopathy Study Group: A phase II randomized double-masked trial of pegaptanib, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor aptamer, for diabetic macular edema. Ophthalmology 2005, 112:1747–1757.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network: A phase II randomized clinical trial of intravitreal bevacizumab for diabetic macular edema. Ophthalmology 2007, 114:1860–1867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study report number 1. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group. Arch Ophthalmol 1985, 103:1796–1806.

  14. Antcliff RJ, Marshall J: The pathogenesis of edema in diabetic maculopathy. Semin Ophthalmol 1999, 14:223–232.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Qaum T, Xu Q, Joussen AM, et al.: VEGF-initiated blood-retinal barrier breakdown in early diabetes. Invest Ophthalmol Visual Sci 2001, 42:2408–2413.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Graham RO, Peyman GA: Intravitreal injection of dexamethasone. Treatment of experimentally induced endophthalmitis. Arch Ophthalmol 1974, 92:149–154.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Beer PM, Bakri SJ, Singh RJ, et al.: Intraocular concentration and pharmacokinetics of triamcinolone acetonide after a single intravitreal injection. Ophthalmology 2003, 110:681–686.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Ciulla TA, Walker JD, Fong DS, Criswell MH: Corticosteroids in posterior segment disease: an update on new delivery systems and new indications. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2004, 15:211–220.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Grover D, Li TJ, Chong CC: Intravitreal steroids for macular edema in diabetes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008, 23:CD005656.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network: A randomized trial comparing intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide and focal/grid photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema. Ophthalmology 2008, 115:1447–1449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Cheng CK, Berger AS, Pearson PA, et al.: Intravitreal sustained-release dexamethasone device in the treatment of experimental uveitis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1995, 36:44–53.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Pearson PA, Bevy B; Fluconolone Acetonide Implant Study Group: Fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant to treat diabetic macular edema: 2-year results of a multi-center clinical trial. Presented at Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting. Fort Lauderdale, FL; May 1–5, 2005.

  23. Berger AS, Cheng CK, Pearson PA, et al.: Intravitreal sustained release corticosteroid-5-fluoruracil conjugate in the treatment of experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1996, 37:2318–2325.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. McMahon G: VEGF receptor signaling in tumor angiogenesis. Oncologist 2000, 5(Suppl 1):3–10.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Ip.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gunther, J., Ip, M. Intravitreal steroid versus macular laser for treatment of diabetic macular edema. Curr Diab Rep 9, 272–276 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-009-0042-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-009-0042-5

Keywords

Navigation