Along with age, diabetes is a major risk factor for cataract formation, which can lead to significant vision loss and disability without medical intervention. Unfortunately, diabetic patients, particularly those with diabetic macular edema (DME), experience poorer visual outcomes after undergoing cataract surgery compared to non-diabetics. Reasons for this is multifactorial but includes an increased risk in the development of post-operative cystoid macular edema, and exacerbation of baseline DME. This poses a significant challenge in managing concomitant DME and visually-significant cataracts.
Goals of the study are to evaluate how peri-operative versus intra-operative anti-VEGF intravitreous injections affect visual acuity (BCVA) in patients with persistent diabetic macular edema who are undergoing cataract surgery; and to evaluate how peri-operative versus intra-operative anti-VEGF intravitreous injections affect OCT CSF thickness and total number of postoperative injections in patients with diabetic macular edema who are undergoing cataract surgery.
