Case Report - Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology (2022) Volume 6, Issue 3

Intravitreal bevacizumab at the time of phacoemulsification may prevent macular edema in diabetic patients with and without preoperative retinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of intravitreal Bevacizumab at the time of phacoemulsification on the incidence of postoperative Diabetic Macular Edema (DME).

Patients and methods: Twenty eyes of diabetic patients with retinopathy yet without maculopathy, and 20 eyes of diabetic patients without retinopathy were included. Only 10 eyes in each group had 1.25 mg Bevacizumab intravitreal injection at the end of surgery. At two weeks, two months and six months postoperative visits, macular optical coherence tomography and visual acuity assessment were done.

Results: At two weeks, two months and six months after surgery, the incidence of DME in the non injected group was 5%, 20%, 30% as opposed to 0%, 5%, 5% in the Bevacizumab group. No statistically significant difference was found in mean central macular thickness. A statistically significant difference in BCVA postoperatively was found between both groups, especially in cases without retinopathy preoperatively.

Conclusion: Prophylactic Intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab at the time of phacoemulsification is effective in the mid-term prevention of DME in cases with and without preoperative diabetic retinopathy.

Author(s): Khaled W Elsadi*, Ahmed A Dahab, Iman M Eissa, Adel M Fathy, Khaled E El Rakhawy

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