To observe the clinical efficacy of macular grid photocoagulation combined with or without intravitreal injection of Ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema (DME).

The data of 120 eyes of 120 patients with DME were analyzed retrospectively, they were randomly divided into two groups. The control group, 60 eyes received standard macular grid photocoagulation. The combined therapy group, 60 eyes received standard macular grid photocoagulation 2 weeks after intravitreal Ranibizumab injection. The visual acuity, central macular thickness (CMT) and photocoagulation energy before and 1, 3, 6 months after treatment were compared between the two groups.

The difference in BCVA and CMT before treatment were not statistically significant between the two groups (P>0.05). The difference of BCVA and CMT in the two groups were statistically significant between before and after treatment (P<0.05). The BCVA of the combined therapy group were better than that of the control group at 1, 3, 6 months after treatment (t=7.059, 8.821, 6.826, P<0.05). The CMT of the combined therapy group were thinner than that of the control group at 1, 3, 6 months after treatment (t=8.154, 6.421, 5.689, P<0.05). The photocoagulant energy in the control group was(97.95±6.75) mW. The photocoagulation energy in the combined treatment group was (84.25±9.89) mW.

The intravitreal Ranibizumab injection combined with macular grid photocoagulation can improve the vision and reduce macular edema in DME patients greatly.

Macular edema, diabetic; Ranibizumab, intravitreal injection; Photocoagulation, macular, grid