Diabetic Macular Edema: Explained

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that many individuals with diabetes develop to some degree of severity, from minor to vision-threatening. This largely treatable disease can cause a myriad of additional health concerns, including related conditions that can further complicate vision.

One condition that can result from diabetic retinopathy is diabetic macular edema. This blog will explore the cause of diabetic macular edema, as well as symptoms and treatment options.

What is Diabetic Macular Edema?

Diabetic macular edema is a retinal condition that may occur as a component of diabetic retinopathy. It occurs when the macula, in the center of the retina, swells due to fluid from leaking blood vessels. The result is distorted vision from fluid buildup in the macula.

Diabetic Macular Edema Symptoms

The eventual symptoms of this fluid buildup from diabetic macular edema include: blurry vision, wavy vision, changes in color perception, black spots ( known as scotomas), and general vision loss.

Individuals with diabetes should be on the lookout for vision changes from the outset of their diabetes diagnosis due to the impact high blood sugar has on blood vessels in the eye.

For individuals without a diabetic retinopathy diagnosis, the first symptoms noticed may include: wavy vision, color changes, or blurred vision.

For individuals with a diabetic retinopathy diagnosis, be on the lookout for wavy vision, color changes, and blurred vision in addition to potential black spots in your vision that may have already developed and may be worsening.

Treatment

Treatment of diabetic macular edema is often similar to the recommended treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Managing your blood sugar control is helpful to reduce complications from diabetic retinopathy, but additional treatment options include:

• Laser therapy, although this was once the most common form of diabetic macular edema treatment, is now less commonly used.
• Anti-VEGF therapy has taken the place of laser therapy in many instances. This treatment consists of receiving injections in the eye itself, and the outcome slows the fluid leakage of improperly functioning blood vessels.

Improving Diabetic Macular Edema Patient Outcomes

Diabetic macular edema is a condition that cannot be fully cured, but it can be managed effectively through early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Advanced imaging capabilities are required to monitor and test for both diabetic retinopathy (which uses a fundus camera) and diabetic macular edema (which uses Optical Coherence Tomology—also known as OCT). OCT in diabetic macular edema is a highly effective form of diagnosis and is recommended for diabetic macular edema care. OCT can pinpoint which area of the macula is most affected, which can dictate eventual treatment decisions for the unique situations of individual patients.

Every case of diabetic macular edema and diabetic retinopathy is different, and patient outcomes are dependent on early detection and effective treatment—it is more important than ever to creatively resource underserved patient populations with the tools they need to receive specialist care for diabetes and related diseases.

IRIS offers a screening solution that can be integrated with your existing EMR system for accurate teleretinal imaging to detect diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.

This solution is compatible with a variety of fundus cameras, so while fundus cameras are traditionally only located in ophthalmologist offices, portable versions can now be used for screenings in rural and at-home healthcare settings.

These advancements in teleretinal imaging are instrumental in closing patient care gaps and providing the early care necessary for potentially vision-threatening complications like diabetic macular edema.

Reach out to IRIS today to find out more about how your practice can get involved in screenings for patients who may develop diabetic macular edema, and join us in the fight against diabetic eye diseases.

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FAQs

What is diabetic macular edema?

Diabetic macular edema is an eye condition that threatens eyesight and occurs as a result of leaking blood vessels in the retina.

Can diabetic macular edema be cured?

Diabetic macular edema cannot be fully cured, but early screenings and Anti-VEGF therapy are instrumental in reversing the effects of this condition.

Can you have diabetic macular edema without diabetic retinopathy?

No, diabetic macular edema is always a result of diabetic retinopathy. Other macular eye diseases can occur without the presence of diabetes, such as macular degeneration.