Welcome
As someone affected by diabetes, you know that your vision is precious, but do you know how to protect it?
Here, you’ll learn a lot about diabetic macular edema and anti-VEGF treatments for DME. Empower yourself to take an active role in saving your vision. Use these resources to take part in your care today—for yourself and for your loved ones.
International DME Summit Whitepaper
We invite you to download or print the Angiogenesis Foundation’s PDF Whitepaper on Advocating for Improved Treatment and Outcomes for Diabetic Macular Edema in 2014 by clicking the image above.
Canada DME Summit Whitepaper
We invite you to download or print the Angiogenesis Foundation’s PDF Whitepaper on Advocating for Improved Treatment and Outcomes for Diabetic Macular Edema in Canada by clicking the image above.
US DME Summit Whitepaper
We invite you to download or print the Angiogenesis Foundation’s PDF Whitepaper on the National Multi-Stakeholder Expert Summit on Diabetes and Vision Loss by clicking the image above.
DME Progression and Treatment Infographic
We invite you to download or print the Angiogenesis Foundation’s DME Progression and Treatment Infographic as a PDF by clicking the image above.
Patient Brochure
We invite you to download or print the Science of DME’s Patient Brochure in PDF format by clicking the image above.
Patient Perspective
Other Resources
Clinical Trial Resources:
ClinicalTrials.gov
A service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health – ClinicalTrials.gov is a registry and results database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants conducted around the world.
Information on Diabetes & its Eye Complications:
http://www.idf.org/
International Diabetes Foundation
http://lighthouse.org/about-low-vision-blindness/vision-disorders/diabetic-retinopathy/
Lighthouse International
http://www.who.int/blindness/causes/priority/en/index6.html
World Health Organization
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp
U.S. NIH National Eye Institute
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/eye-complications/
American Diabetes Association
Fact Sheet
Diabetes
Diabetes is the primary cause of new incidences of blindness among adults aged 20–74 years.1
Diabetes is a chronic disease that needs consistent management.
Diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce any or enough insulin, or is unable to use the insulin properly. This results in a high level of blood glucose (blood sugar) that needs to be managed in order to prevent other serious conditions, such as vascular complications, organ failure or premature death.2
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that 382 million people are living with diabetes worldwide7.
Diabetes can lead to a range of health complications, such as blindness, high blood pressure, kidney disease, neuropathy (nervous system disease), heart disease, stroke, and amputation.3
Blindness can be caused by a number of eye conditions that develop as a complication of diabetes, including cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.15
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and the leading cause of blindness among working adults around the world.7
Diabetic retinopathy is a disorder of the retina caused by damage to the retinal blood vessels in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Diabetic retinopathy affects approximately 93 million people worldwide as of 2010.20
Global estimates in 2010 found that a third of people with diabetes have signs of diabetic retinopathy.19
Anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes is at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy15 and should get a dilated eye exam at least once a year.
Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.54
Diabetic retinopathy has four stages and treatments will differ by stage.
DME can develop during any of the stages of diabetic retinopathy, though it is most common in the more severe stages.
About half of the people with proliferative retinopathy also have macular edema.15
DME
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a form of diabetic retinopathy and a leading cause of vision loss in patients with diabetic retinopathy.26, 27
DME is characterized by swelling or thickening of the retina and the leaking of fluid, specifically in the macula,28 a small area in the back of the eye that focuses and sharpens vision.15
Globally, 21 million people are estimated to live with DME.20
Every year, there are 75,000 new cases of DME in the United States alone.28
DME develops without symptoms or causing pain, so it is crucial that diabetes patients get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year before experiencing any problems with vision.
There are two forms of DME: focal and diffuse. Treatment will differ by form.
Risk of developing DME greatly increases with the duration of diabetes.15, 19
Other major risks for DME include high levels in blood glucose, blood pressure and blood lipids. Keeping these levels as close to normal as possible greatly reduces risk.
If DME is treated early, vision loss can be reversed. In cases where DME has progressed, treatment can stop or slow down vision loss.
Major treatments for DME include focal laser photocoagulation, vitrectomy, corticosteroid therapy and anti-VEGF therapy.
The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a glycoprotein that has been found to contribute significantly to the development of diabetic macular edema.
Anti-VEGF therapy has been effective in reducing macular edema and stabilizing or even improving vision without increased risk for side effects.
Social Media
Let’s raise awareness about this disease, which affects so many lives. Join our supportive online communities, part of our System ENABLE™, and become an advocate for all who are touched by DME.
News
- DRCR Network releases new data on Anti-VEGF response for diabetic macular edema
- Egypt has become the 31st country to approve aflibercept to treat diabetic retinopathy in patients with DME.
- The Angiogenesis Foundation Launches Nationwide Campaign for Saving Vision on World Sight Day
- People with Diabetes Have More Options: FDA Approves Anti-VEGF Agent Aflibercept for Diabetic Retinopathy
- Ranibizumab Vision Improvement Predicted by Retinal Venular Calibre
- Big news for people with diabetes: Anti-VEGF agent ranibizumab approved to treat diabetic retinopathy to prevent vision loss
- RIDE/RISE Extension Studies Demonstrate Sustained Visual Gains in DME Patients
- Novel Treatment Pathways for DME
- Ranibizumab Treatment 3-Year Outcomes Similar in DME Patients With and Without Vitrectomy
- Small Change, Big Rewards in A1c and Blood Pressure Control for Diabetes Patients
- The Angiogenesis Foundation Convenes the Canadian National Multistakeholder Expert Summit for Diabetic Macular Edema
- Anti-VEGF Agent Ranibizumab Gets FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Diabetic Retinopathy
- Anti-VEGF Agent Aflibercept Approved in Canada for Treating Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
- FDA Grants Priority Review of Antiangiogenic Agent Aflibercept for Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy in DME Patients
- Antiangiogenic Agent Aflibercept Approved in Japan for Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema
- Aflibercept injection shown to be superior to bevacizumab and ranibizumab in visual gains for DME patients
- Fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant (Iluvien) Gets FDA Approval for Treating Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
- Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant Gets EU Approval for Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema
- Intravitreal aflibercept for DME improves vision better than laser
- FDA approves biodegradable dexamethasone intravitreal implant for the treatment of diabetic macular edema
- Anti-VEGF agent aflibercept gets EU Approval for Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
- FDA approves anti-VEGF agent aflibercept for treating Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
- European commission recommends approval of anti-VEGF agent aflibercept for treatment of diabetic macular edema
- Antiangiogenic Agent Ranibizumab Approved in Japan for Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema
- Diabetes ‘no longer leading cause of blindness’ in the UK
Glossary
Aneurysm
When an excessive amount of blood accumulates and over-stretches the blood vessel or artery, usually caused by damage to or weakness of the wall of the vessel.78
Angiogenesis
The growth of new capillary blood vessels from existing blood vessels.
Angiogenesis inhibitors
Drugs designed to target and interfere with the process of angiogenesis.
Antiangiogenesis
A process that interferes with specific pathways associated with a disease in order to halt angiogenesis.
Antiangiogenic Treatment
Treatment that controls disease by stopping new abnormal blood vessels from forming.
Anti-VEGF Therapy
Treatment designed to reduce function of VEGF, which causes new blood vessels to form.
Blood Glucose
Blood sugar2
Clinical trial
Medical study with human volunteers to test, assess and compare the safety and efficacy of treatments.
Cataract
An eye condition when the lens of the eye is clouded so light cannot pass through.79
Combination Therapy
The use of two or more drugs/therapies to treat a condition more aggressively.
Diabetic Eye Disease
A range of eye problems that develop as a complication of diabetes.15
Diffuse Diabetic Macular Edema
A less common but more severe form of DME24 that involves the center of the macula.32
Dyslipidemia
Abnormal levels of blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides42).
Endophthalmitis
An inflammatory condition that affects the interior of the eye, usually caused by infection.81
Endothelial Cells
Cells that line the inner layer of blood vessels.82
Focal Diabetic Macular Edema
The most common form of DME that typically does not involve the center of the macula.32
Glaucoma
An eye disease characterized by elevated pressure in the eye that can lead to vision loss.83
HbA1c
HbA1c is a molecule that is formed when hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells, connects to glucose.37 It is also a lab test that uses your blood sample to measure your average blood glucose level for the past three months based on your HbA1c levels.84 This shows how well you are controlling your diabetes.
- A normal HbA1c level is 5.6% or less, and safe HbA1c levels for diabetes patients usually range between 6.5-7%.84
- Studies have found that every percentage point drop in HbA1c levels can lower the chances of developing microvascular complications (e.g. eye, kidney, and nerve diseases) by 40%.1
Hyperglycemia
Chronic high levels of sugar in the blood.85
Hypertension
Abnormally high levels in blood pressure.86
Hypoxia
A condition when body tissue is deprived of oxygen.87
Incidence
Number of new cases diagnosed each year.2
Insulin
A hormone that plays a critical role in converting sugars and starches into glucose as a source of energy for the body,10 and stores glucose in cells.11
Intraocular Pressure
A specific pressure in the eyeball that maintains the eye’s round shape.88
Macula
The small part of the retina that focuses images and lets you see fine details clearly.13
Microaneurysm
Tiny area of swelling in the blood vessels of the retina15 usually associated with diabetic retinopathy.25, 89
Pancreas
A large gland positioned behind the stomach that produces the hormones insulin and glucagon.90
Prevalence
Total number of existing (including newly diagnosed) cases for each year.2
Retina
The tissue at the back of the eye17 that receives what you see and sends signals to your brain.
Risk Factor
Any factor that affects your chance of getting a disease.
Vascular endothelial growth factor
Protein that causes vascular permeability and new, abnormal blood vessels to form through the process of angiogenesis.
Vascular permeability
The capacity of small molecules and whole cells to pass through the vessel wall.92
Visual Acuity
The sharpness or clarity of vision at a distance.31
Vitreous
A gel-like substance that consists of millions of intertwined fine fibers that are attached to the surface of the retina. This substance supports the eye’s round shape. The vitreous gradually shrinks as a natural process of aging and may separate from the retina, resulting in vitreous detachment.93
Vitreomacular Adhesion
A condition when the vitreous attaches to the retina.
References
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