Advantages of optical coherence tomographyand fluorecein angiography in early diagnosis of mild diabetic macular edema

Diabetic macular edema is a leading cause of visual disability in patients with diabetes mellitus.Purpose of this study is to compare two main diagnostic methods fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in early detection of diabetic macular edeme.It is prospective study. Consecutive 74 eyes of 74 patients with early diabetic macular edema from Ludvig Maximillian University Eye Clinic, Munich, Germany is enrolled in this study. There is statistical significant correlation between focal leakage and central macular thickness measured with OCT. Average central foveolar thickness measured with OCT in our sample were 328+/-85 um. Common type of macular edema anlysed on fluorescein angiography is diffuse diabetic macular edema. Central macular thickness measured with OCT in eyes with focal edema is 252+/-23.34 um, diffuse edema 305+/-41.4 um and cystoid macular edema 376+/-80.5 um. Difference between macular thickness in eyes measured OCT in eyes with proliferative and non proliferative diabetic retinopathy is not statisticaly significant (t=0.69). Central macular OCT thickness is higher in patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus compared to insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and it is statistically significant (t=2.12). Risk factors (levelof hemoglobin Alc, blood pressure, duration of diabetes mellitus) have significant influence on macular thickness measured with OCT. Optical coherence tomography has important advance compared to recently used diagnostic methods in early detection and evaluation of diabetic macular edema. It is non invasive, non contact and safe diagnostic method with capability to differentiate pathological changes smaller than 10 microns. Average central macular thickness in our sample is 328+/-85 um.