Treatment of
Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Macular Edema was traditionally treated with Retinal Laser Photocoagulation procedures to close leaking microaneurysms or treat a more diffuse swelling in the Macula. Laser treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema works to stabilize vision. In fact, laser treatment may reduce the risk of vision loss by 50 percent. In a small number of cases, if vision is lost, it may be improved. It is important to restate that this treatment is performed to keep vision from further declining, but does not usually result in improvement in vision already lost.

For most patients, anti-VEGF injections such as Eylea® and Lucentis® which are less destructive and safer than laser treatments, are considered as primary therapy for the management of vision-threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy such as diabetic macular edema (DME).

Proliferative Retinopathy is treated with a Retinal Laser Photocoagulation procedure called “Scatter Laser Treatment”. The goal of Scatter Laser Treatment is to shrink abnormal blood vessels. Retina specialists will place approximately 1,000 to 2,000 laser spots in areas of the retina away from the macula, causing the abnormal blood vessels to shrink. Since Scatter Laser Treatment requires a large number of laser spots, it is often necessary to use two or more sessions to complete the laser treatment. Sometimes patients who have had Scatter Laser Photocoagulation will experience some loss of their side or peripheral vision, some loss of night vision and a decrease in color vision. However, Scatter Laser Treatment is necessary to preserve the rest of your vision and stop the progression of the disease.

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It is likely that retina specialists will also use anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment-such as Eylea® or Lucentis® or other types of retina injections as these retina injections when used in combination with laser treatment or even alone may be the preferred treatment in your individual case. When diabetic laser treatment and intravitreal injection are unsuccessful in stopping the progression of the proliferative retinopathy and when a vitreous hemorrhage occurs and does not clear on its own, or when a retinal detachment develops, then a Vitrectomy is often helpful. A vitrectomy involves inserting instruments into the eye, and removing the vitreous gel, any blood present in the vitreous cavity, and removing the scar tissue that has grown on the surface of the retina.

View Video

Diabetic Macular Edema was traditionally treated with Retinal Laser Photocoagulation procedures to close leaking microaneurysms or treat a more diffuse swelling in the Macula. Laser treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema works to stabilize vision. In fact, laser treatment may reduce the risk of vision loss by 50 percent. In a small number of cases, if vision is lost, it may be improved. It is important to restate that this treatment is performed to keep vision from further declining, but does not usually result in improvement in vision already lost.

For most patients, anti-VEGF injections such as Eylea® and Lucentis® which are less destructive and safer than laser treatments, are considered as primary therapy for the management of vision-threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy such as diabetic macular edema (DME).

Proliferative Retinopathy is treated with a Retinal Laser Photocoagulation procedure called “Scatter Laser Treatment”. The goal of Scatter Laser Treatment is to shrink abnormal blood vessels. Retina specialists will place approximately 1,000 to 2,000 laser spots in areas of the retina away from the macula, causing the abnormal blood vessels to shrink. Since Scatter Laser Treatment requires a large number of laser spots, it is often necessary to use two or more sessions to complete the laser treatment. Sometimes patients who have had Scatter Laser Photocoagulation will experience some loss of their side or peripheral vision, some loss of night vision and a decrease in color vision. However, Scatter Laser Treatment is necessary to preserve the rest of your vision and stop the progression of the disease.

View Video

It is likely that retina specialists will also use anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment-such as Eylea® or Lucentis® or other types of retina injections as these retina injections when used in combination with laser treatment or even alone may be the preferred treatment in your individual case. When diabetic laser treatment and intravitreal injection are unsuccessful in stopping the progression of the proliferative retinopathy and when a vitreous hemorrhage occurs and does not clear on its own, or when a retinal detachment develops, then a Vitrectomy is often helpful. A vitrectomy involves inserting instruments into the eye, and removing the vitreous gel, any blood present in the vitreous cavity, and removing the scar tissue that has grown on the surface of the retina.

View Video