Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) With Anti-VEGF and Focal Laser

Long‐term follow‐up of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) treated with intravitreal anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) combined focal laser and identification of prognostic morphological characteristics. Prospective clinical trial (50 treatment‐naive eyes) with DME randomized 1:1 receiving intravitreal ranibizumab (0.5 mg/0.05 ml) and prompt grid laser compared to ranibizumab and deferred laser. Morphological characteristics potentially relevant for prognosis were assessed at baseline, month 6, month 9, year 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of follow‐up. Grid laser and ranibizumab therapy is expected to be effective in DME management during long‐term follow‐up. Immediate combined therapy will likely signify a trend of functional superiority in an early disease phase. Intraretinal hyperreflective material in SD‐OCT will likely negatively related to BCVA.