title: Laser-based strategies to treat diabetic macular edema: history and new promising therapies.
abstract: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the main cause of visual impairment in diabetic patients. The management of DME is complex and often various treatment approaches are needed. At the present time, despite the enthusiasm for evaluating several new treatments for DME, including the intravitreal pharmacologic therapies (e.g., corticosteroids and anti-VEGF drugs), laser photocoagulation still remains the current standard in DME. The purpose of this review is to update our knowledge on laser photocoagulation for DME and describe the developments in laser systems. And we will also discuss the new laser techniques and review the latest results including benefits of combined therapy. In this paper, we briefly summarize the major laser therapeutics for the treatment of diabetic macular edema and allude to some future promising laser therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, No. 62 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 150-713, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Gun
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, No. 62 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 150-713, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Yeong
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, No. 62 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 150-713, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Roh