Short-Term Outcomes of Refractory Diabetic Macular Edema Switch From Ranibizumab to Dexamethasone Implant and the Influential Factors: A Retrospective Real World Experience

Introduction: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX) implants in refractory diabetic macular edema (DME) treated by ranibizumab. Materials Methods: We retrospectively analyzed DME patients who received DEX implant treatment after being to at least 3 monthly ranibizumab injections. The main outcomes were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), intraocular pressure (IOP). Results: Twenty-nine eyes 26 had previously an average 8.1 ± 4.4 injections included. Patients between one three during 12.4 7.4 months follow-up. mean final CRT significantly decreased from 384.4 114.4 μm baseline 323.9 77.7 ( p = 0.0249). BCVA was 51.4 21.3 letters, which not significant compared (44.9 30.2 0.1149). Mean IOP did increase significantly. All tolerated well without serious adverse events. Higher worse correlated with better therapeutic responses. Conclusion: Switching is feasible safe for treating real world. Further larger-scale or multicenter studies would be conducted explore different strategies DME, such as first-line early switch therapy, improvement.