It is interesting reading some of the
topics at DiaTribe dot Com. Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a form
of diabetic retinopathy. This happens when high blood glucose levels
cause blood leakage in the small blood vessels and the resulting
swelling of the macula can cause blurry vision.
Diabetic macular edema affects people
with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. About 75,000 new cases of DME
develop each year. This makes DME the leading cause of blindness in
working-age Americans. If people with diabetes would manage their
blood glucose levels and have an annual dilated eye exam, there are
several treatment options available to help prevent or delay DME.
In the past 25 years, the standard for
treating DME has been laser surgery. This seals up the leaking blood
vessels to reduce the fluid around the macula. This procedure can
stop the progression of vision loss, but cannot reverse the damage
that has already been done.
Today, we have an alternative. The FDA
approved in August 2012 a drug named Lucentis (ranibizumab), as the
first drug for treatment of diabetic macular edema. Lucentis is a
once monthly microinjection into the eye. Clinical trials show that
in two years, individuals are able to read two additional lines on
average on the eye chart. This is a great improvement and Lucentis
is generally safe and well tolerated. Laser surgery and Lucentis are
sometimes used in parallel to maximize outcome.
I will mention that Avastin, a drug
approved for cancer treatment, is sometimes used “off-label” to
treat DME if Lucentis is not available. It is a similar drug to
Lucentis, but has not been approved for treatment of DME.
As a last resort, steroids are used
“off-label” to treat DME. Steroids can cause additional
cataracts and glaucoma.
Additional information can be read here
and here. I feel they are worth the time reading if you have
concerns in this area.
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