Diabetic macular edema; role of intravitreal bevacizumab in treating clinically significant diabetic macular edema

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the effect of Intravitreal Bevacuzimab on Best Corrected Visual Acuity in patients with clinically significant diabetic macular edema. A prospective uncontrolled interventional case series in which 42 eyes of 31 consecutive diabetic patients with clinically significant macular edema and no significant comorbid ocular association presenting in the outpatients department of Holy Family Hospital and EYE SURGERY clinic, Rawalpindi Pakistan and opting for the treatment from 1st September 2013 to 31st January 2014 were given an intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab. BCVA was documented prior to and four weeks after the injection. Main outcome measure was changes in BCVA. Out of the 31 patients included in the study 14[45.16%] were male and 17 [54.83%] female. Average age was 56.1 +/- 7.6. All 31 patients [42 eyes] came for follow up and their BCVA recorded. 41 [97.61%] eyes showed an improvement of one or more line on Snellen's chart at 4 weeks. 14 [33.33%] eyes showed an improvement of one line, 19 [45.23%] eyes an improvement of two lines, 6 [14.28%] eyes three lines and just 2 [4.76%] eyes had an improvement of four lines on Snellen's chart at 4 weeks. Only 1[2.38%] eye remained same with no worsening. On log MAR conversion scale for Snellen's letters the BCVA improved from 0.76 +/- 0.27 to 0.47 +/- 0.27 [p< 0.001]. No significant complications were observed in any of the eyes. The use of intravitreal Bevacizumab [1.25mg/0.05ml] is a safe and effective moe of treatment for clinically significant diabetic macular edema