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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 168 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. |