Evaluation Of The Timing Of Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection As Adjuvant Therapy To Panretinal Photocoagulation In Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema Secondary To Diabetic Retinopathy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the difference in intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection timing as adjuvant therapy to panretinal photocoagulation in patients with diabetic retinopathy combined with diabetic macular edema. METHODS: This was a retrospective nonrandomized study. Forty eyes with severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) were divided into two groups; the IVB injection prior to, or after, panretinal photocoagulation. Changes in central macular thickness between the two groups were measured. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in change in central macular thickness between two groups after treatment (p=0.66), neither in eyes with severe NPDR groups (p=0.48) nor eyes with PDR (p=0.82). CONCLUSION: IVB injection after panretinal photocoagulation gives insignificant difference in changes in central macular thickness with injection prior to laser treatment in patients with diabetic retinopathy combined with diabetic macular edema.