OCT useful in management of DME

Nearly 30.26 million Americans have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and of those, 4.2 million adults aged 40 and older, or 29%, have diabetic retinopathy. An estimated 11% of all diabetic patients have diabetic macular edema, and 1% to 3% of those have vision loss. These alarming statistics have propelled research and fueled demand for better treatment options. As a result, we have experienced a significant paradigm shift away from laser therapy as the first line of treatment and moved toward the realm of pharmacological therapy, including intravitreal anti-VEGF and steroidal treatments.When diagnosing and monitoring patients with DME, spectral-domain OCT is a primary driving force in determining when to start therapy. OCT is an objective tool that can help us to identify early DME, guide us in selecting the best treatment and closely monitor response to treatment.