Vitrectomy Outcomes in Eyes with Diabetic Macular Edema and Vitreomacular Traction

Purpose To evaluate vitrectomy for diabetic macular edema (DME) in eyes with at least moderate vision loss and vitreomacular traction. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants The primary cohort included 87 eyes with DME and vitreomacular traction based on investigator's evaluation, visual acuity 20/63–20/400, optical coherence tomography (OCT) central subfield >300 microns and no concomitant cataract extraction at the time of vitrectomy. Methods Surgery was performed according to the investigator's usual routine. Follow-up visits were performed after 3 months, 6 months (primary end point), and 1 year. Main Outcome Measures Visual acuity, OCT retinal thickening, and operative complications. Results At baseline, median visual acuity in the 87 eyes was 20/100 and median OCT thickness was 491 microns. During vitrectomy, additional procedures included epiretinal membrane peeling in 61%, internal limiting membrane peeling in 54%, panretinal photocoagulation in 40%, and injection of corticosteroids at the close of the procedure in 64%. At 6 months, median OCT central subfield thickness decreased by 160 microns, with 43% having central subfield thickness