Treatment before macular grid in patients of diabetic macular edema

AIM: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab and posterior subtenons triamcinolone acetate in the management of diffuse diabetic macular edema (DME) and to evaluate their efficacy as an adjunct to modified grid laser in management of DME. DESIGN: This was a prospective, randomized clinical trial of 30 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients attending the medical ophthalmology clinic at a tertiary care hospital were included in the study. These 30 patients were divided into two groups. Group I (15 eyes) received intravitreal bevacizumab followed by modified grid photocoagulation 2 weeks after injection. Group II (15 eyes) received posterior subtenons triamcinolone followed by modified grid photocoagulation 2 weeks after injection. Each patient in our study was followed up at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months after the initial injection to record the central macular thickness (CMT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). RESULTS: Both the combination therapies have efficacy to reduce the CMT (P = 0.001). The percentage fall in CMT was greater in bevacizumab + laser group, and there was a significant difference in the CMT values at the end of the study in the bevacizumab group (P = 0.013). The mean BCVA improved in both the groups and this difference was statistically significant compared to the baseline (P = 0.005). However, there was no statistically significant difference in BCVA between the two groups at the end of the study. CONCLUSION: Both intravitreal bevacizumab and posterior subtenons triamcinolone given as an adjuvant therapy along with modified grid laser are equally efficacious in the reduction of the CMT; however, the percentage fall in the CMT was greater in bevacizumab + laser group, and there was a significant difference in the fall in CMT at all the visits as compared to a plateau in the fall of CMT in posterior subtenons triamcinolone group.