Effect of intravitreal ranibizumab on serous retinal detachment in diabetic macular edema

To evaluate the functional and anatomical results of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) treatment in diabetic macular edema (DME) with and without serous retinal detachment (SRD). Fifty-one eyes treated with three consecutive intravitreal injections of ranibizumab for DME with and without SRD were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings. Group 1 consisted of 25 DME patients with SRD, Group 2 consisted of 26 DME patients without SRD. After three consecutive IVR injections, changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were analyzed and compared between groups. The mean age was 64.16 ± 6.43 and 68.77 ± 7.19 years, respectively (p = 0.036). Initial BCVA was 0.55 ± 0.36, 0.62 ± 0.39 LogMAR, respectively (p: 0.613). Initial CMT was 548.7 ± 111.6 μm, 446.4 ± 104.1 μm in groups, respectively and it was significantly higher in Group 1 (p = 0.001). After three consecutive IVR, mean BCVA improved to 0.47 ± 0.30 LogMAR (p = 0.281) and CMT decreased to 331.6 ± 165.1 μm (p = 0.000) in Group 1. Mean BCVA improved to 0.40 ± 0.34 LogMAR (p = 0.005) and CMT decreased to 287.2 ± 148.8 μm (p = 0.000) in Group 2. While the decrease in CMT values was similar between the groups, the increase in BCVA was more pronounced in Group 2 after IVR treatment. Similar morphological results were obtained in both of the groups, but the visual gain was lower in patients with SRD. •Diabetic macular edema is a common cause of visual impairment in diabetic patients.•There are different patterns of diabetic macular edema such as diffuse retinal thickening, cystoid macular edema, and serous retinal detachment.•Anti-VEGF agents have been first-line treatment in diabetic macular edema.•The effect of anti-VEGF agents (bevacizumab, ranibizumab,aflibercept) on serous retinal detachment is unclear due to its nature.•Visual gain may be lower in diabetic macular edema with serous retinal detachment after the ranibizumab treatment.