DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA

Course overview

THE RETINA IS A THIN LAYER OF TISSUE IN THE POSTERIOR SEGMENT OF THE EYE NEAR THE OPTIC NERVE. IT CONTAINS A LAYER OF PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS, AND RECEIVES FOCUSED LIGHT FROM THE LENS AND CONVERTS THE LIGHT INTO NEURAL SIGNALS, BECAUSE OF THIS, THE RETINA IS A VITAL STRUCTURE INVOLVED IN VISION AND DAMAGE TO IT CAN HAVE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES. THE MACULA IS THE CENTER OF THE RETINA AND HAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF RODS AND CONES (PHOTORECEPTORS). DIABETES CAN LEAD TO MACULAR EDEMA IN A MULTIFACTORIAL MANNER. THIS IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. THE FIRST-LINE TREATMENT USUALLY INVOLVES ANTI-VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR (VEGF) THERAPY; HOWEVER, NEW TREATMENTS ARE BEING DEVELOPED. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE DIAGNOSIS, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA. IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS CONDITION.