Diabetic macular edema: an inflammatory disease in focus

As Inflammatory Eye Disease Week draws attention to inflammation in the eye, diabetic macular edema (DME) merits a place in the conversation. DME is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the subretinal or intraretinal spaces of the macula in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR), and it can severely impair central vision.¹ In high-income countries, it is the most common cause of impaired vision in people with type 2 diabetes.² Mounting evidence indicates that immunologic mechanisms play a fundamental role in its pathogenesis, with persistent low-grade inflammation contributing to breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) and subsequent macular edema.³ This overview summarizes the epidemiology, inflammatory pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of DME.