PHACOEMULSIFICATION WITH INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB AND TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE INJECTION IN DIABETIC PATIENTS WITH CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT MACULAR EDEMA AND CATARACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of phacoemulsification with intravitreal bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide injection in patients with diabetic clinically significant macular edema and cataract.The records of 22 diabetic patients, with clinically significant macular edema and cataract who have undergone phacoemulsification with intravitreal injection of 1.25 mg bevacizumab and 2 mg triamcinolone acetonide, were retrospectively evaluated. All patients have undergone focal or modified grid argon laser photocoagulation 1 month after the surgery. All patients were evaluated by spectral OCT/OCT SLO before, 1 month, and 3 months after the surgery. The main parameters were the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT). Paired samples t-test was used for statistical analysis.The mean initial best-corrected visual acuity was 0.15 ± 0.09 (0.05-0.3), whereas it was 0.6 ± 0.28 (SD) (0.3-0.7), 0.6 ± 0.22 (SD) (0.4-0.7) at 1 month and 3 months after the surgery, respectively. The BCVA levels recorded at 1 month and 3 months after the surgery were significantly higher than the initial BCVA (P = 0.002). The mean initial CMT was 392.2 ± 109.5 μm, whereas it was 295 ± 57.2 μm and 265.5 ± 30.3 μm at 1 month and 3 months after the surgery, respectively. The CMT values recorded at 1 month and 3 months after the surgery were significantly lower than the initial CMT (P0.001, P0.001).Phacoemulsification with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide provides a decrease in CMT with a gain in BCVA in diabetic patients with clinically significant macular edema and cataract.