Effect of adding oral calcium dobesilate to laser photocoagulation on the macular thickness in patients with diabetic macular edema: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of oral calcium dobesilate (Doxium) on macular thickness in clinically significant macular edema (CSME). METHODS Overall, 71 eyes of 40 patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and clinically significant macular edema were included. All patients were received laser treatment for macular edema. Coherence optical tomography was used to determine the retinal thickness. Patients were randomized into two groups: group A received three Doxium capsule daily and group B received three placebo capsule daily for six months. RESULTS The mean macular thickness before and after treatment in the group A was 340 and 257 micrometers respectively (24.5% reduced), and in the group B was 336 micrometers and 263 micrometers respectively (21.5% reduced). Macular thickness significantly decreased after treatment in both groups and the reduction in group A is higher but the difference of reduction between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSION In respect to the effect of adding oral Doxium to Laser Photocoagulation on the macular thickness in patients with diabetic macular edema, this study showed no statistically significant difference between Doxium and placebo.