eye prior to the procedure.
“Shots given into the eye sounds terrible, but they’re safe and easy to do, and the result in minimal discomfort,” Jampol adds. You’ll need about nine shots in the first 12 months, followed by four or five shots in the second year and one or two in the third. By year four or five, many people don’t require any, he says.
Steroids
Steroids reduce inflammation in the eye and are available in two forms: injections or time-released implants, according to the AAO.
If you’ve tried anti-VEGF injections and haven’t found any relief, steroids may be a good option.
Steroids are very effective, however, the downside to steroids is that they come with side effects, Dr. Garg notes. Steroids can speed up the growth of a cataract (a clouding of the lens of the eye) and cause eye pressure to increase. Fourtanetly, both of these side effects are treatable.
Lasers
Lasers use heat to close leaking blood vessels. This method of treatment is great for treating the leaky spots in the macula. “The majority of patients have multiple leaky vessels in multiple small areas, though, making anti-VEGF treatments better,” Dr. Garg shares.
Although once favored, anti-VEGF injections have surpassed lasers as the more common therapy.
Preventing DME
Being diagnosed with DME can be devastating, but the good news is that there are several treatments available to slow or stop the progression of the disease and prevent future damage. Lowering your A1c and maintaining your overall health is also an important part of staying healthy overall if you are living with diabetes.
“We encourage patients to get their blood sugar and blood pressure under control,” Garg notes.