الفهرس 
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Abstract
SUMMARY
iabetic macular edema (DME) is a sight-threatening
consequence of diabetic retinopathy, inflicting near 30%
of individuals suffering from diabetes for longer than 30 years.
Available treatment modalities for DME involve
repeated, rather invasive intraocular injections, placing heavy
burdens on the patient, health care facilities as well as the
physician.
No reliable methods exist to identify which individuals
presenting with DME will gain or lose vision over time. This
makes such predictive biomarkers a major requirement.
Such tools would profoundly enhance patient counseling,
improve risk categorization, refine clinical management, and
influence the selection of eyes requires for clinical studies
targeting DME.
In that context, we carried out this study recruiting 30
eyes with DME presenting to multiple centres. These subjects
were chosen according to a list of predefined inclusion and
exclusion criteria. Baseline assessment was done including
most importantly BCVA as well as SD-OCT. The Heidelberg
Spectralis was utilized in all cases due to its superiority in
delineating retinal microstructure.
D
Summary
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The OCT images were analyzed regarding the ELM and
IS/OS continuity as well as the presence/site of hyperreflective
foci. Hyperreflective foci were either absent, present in the inner
retinal layers, or present in both the inner and outer retinal layers.
Patients were then injected with Bevacizumab and
examined a month later. BCVA as well as OCT were repeated
and the need for re-injection determined. These visits were
repeated for two more months with OCT and BCVA
assessment as well as repeated intravitreal injections of
Bevacizumab pro re nata. Patients completed the study when
the edema resolved completely.
Correlations between the different variants were then
assessed for significance and the relationship to BCVA elaborated.