Diabetic Macular Edema - Long Term Edema with Stable Vision

These are photographs from a patient with chronic mild diabetic macular edema (DME). This 76-year-old Caucasian male had been diagnosed with diabetes for over 14 years. His visual acuity in both eyes fluctuated without much change (listed on slides). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans show consistent mild central involved edema in both eyes (yellow arrows). The patient chose to discontinue repetitive focal laser treatments and intravitreal bevacizumab injections as he could not discern benefit. Despite chronic macular edema his vision remained stable. Mild, chronic DME need not inexorably cause visual decrease.