Published online Dec 15, 2013. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v4.i6.324
Revised: March 17, 2013
Accepted: March 23, 2013
Published online: December 15, 2013
The treatment of diabetic macular edema is rapidly evolving. The era of laser therapy is being quickly replaced by an era of pharmacotherapy. Several pharmacotherapies have been recently developed for the treatment of retinal vascular diseases such as diabetic macular edema. Several intravitreal injections or sustained delivery devices have undergone phase 3 testing while others are currently being evaluated. The results of clinical trials have shown the superiority of some of these agents to laser therapy. However, with the availability of several of these newer agents, it may be difficult to individualize treatment options especially those patients respond differently to various therapies. As such, more effort is still needed in order to determine the best treatment regimen for a given patient. In this article, we briefly summarize the major new therapeutic additions for the treatment of diabetic macular edema and allude to some future promising therapies.
Core tip: This manuscript concisely reviews most of the new and emerging therapies for diabetic macular edema. It focuses on therapies that have been tested through clinical trials, but also includes therapies that have not. The article focusses on laser therapy, intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents, intravitreal triamcinolone and newer steroid implants, and vitrectomy. It also briefly discusses several other therapeutic approaches that may be available in the near future.