About the book
Diabetic retinopathy is a common and specific microvascular complication of diabetes. It is the leading cause of preventable blindness in working-aged people. Decades of research into the pathophysiology and management of diabetic retinopathy have revolutionized our understanding of the disease’s process. We know that this disease is going to be one of the defining illnesses of the current century. The aim of this book is to describe some of the most important features of diabetic retinopathy, from the pathogenesis of the disease with small retinal vessel microangiopathies that are able to produce extravasation with edema and ischemic phenomenon, to newly diagnostic test like wide field fundus photography and OCT angiography.
Among complications, both severe non proliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, glaucoma, cataract represent the real challenge in the treatment of diabetic eye disease; treatment by laser photocoagulation or intravitreal anti-VEGF injections represent the gold standard for the management of DME; however, DR, and DME continue to be major causes of vision loss. Patients and caregivers, as well as healthcare professionals, are affected by the high treatment burden of frequent injections, office visits, and patient monitoring. Real-world research shows that patients receive fewer intravitreal injections than the number required to maintain the vision and anatomic benefits seen in clinical trials, and thus, these individuals experience poorer outcomes.
Combined, these factors present an unmet need for novel treatments beyond anti-VEGF monotherapy that will provide patients with increased efficacy and durability in treating DR, and DME New therapeutic targets or longer-acting formulations may be the key to helping patients keep their disease under control.
