What are the current treatment options for a person with diabetic retinopathy?
Because the earliest stages of diabetic retinopathy include inflammation, intraocular corticosteroids have been utilized with some success in selected patients. This form of treatment includes the use of a long-acting corticosteroid (triamcinolone acetonide) injected into the vitreous cavity by way of a very tiny needle under topical (drops) anesthesia. This treatment may reduce retinal swelling and improve visual acuity in patients with diabetic macular edema. However, visual recovery may be limited and the effect may last only 3 to 6 months after the treatment. Other clinical trials on corticosteroids include a sustained-release drug delivery device surgically implanted inside the eye to allow constant release of the medication. In two larger multicenter clinical trials using sustained-release steroid drug delivery devices, the Oculex Study is evaluating dexamethasone and the Bausch and Lomb Study is testing fluocinolone acetonide. What research is currently being conducted on diabet
