Diabetic macular edema is an eye condition caused by diabetes in which fluid accumulates in the central part of the retina, leading to blurred vision and potentially permanent vision loss. Bevacizumab is a medicine that blocks vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a protein involved in abnormal leakage from blood vessels. It is commonly used as an injection into the eye to treat this condition.
This study aims to compare two methods of delivering bevacizumab in patients with center-involving diabetic macular edema. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group will receive bevacizumab injections into the vitreous cavity of the eye (intravitreal injection), while the second group will receive injections into the space between the sclera and choroid of the eye (suprachoroidal injection). Both groups will receive injections once a month for three months.
The study will compare changes in vision and central retinal thickness, measured using an eye examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT), from the start of the study to the four-month assessment. The occurrence of treatment-related complications and other adverse events will also be recorded.
The study hypothesis is that suprachoroidal bevacizumab will provide improvements in vision and retinal thickness comparable to intravitreal bevacizumab, with a potentially different safety profile. The findings may help determine whether suprachoroidal delivery is a useful alternative to the established intravitreal route for treating diabetic macular edema.