Ranibizumab + Deferred Laser

Ranibizumab + deferred laser is a treatment strategy for **diabetic macular edema (DME)** that combines intravitreal injections of the anti-VEGF drug ranibizumab with focal/grid laser photocoagulation that is intentionally delayed for at least 24 weeks after the initiation of ranibizumab treatment. This approach was notably studied in the DRCR.net Protocol I trial. Clinical outcomes from 3-year and 5-year follow-ups of the Protocol I study suggest that deferring laser treatment for at least 24 weeks results in better long-term visual acuity compared to using ranibizumab with prompt (at initiation) laser. Specifically, the deferred laser group showed a greater mean improvement in visual acuity at 3 years and a higher percentage of patients achieving significant vision gains (≥10 or ≥15 letters) at 5 years compared to the prompt laser group. However, the deferred laser approach generally involves a higher number of ranibizumab injections over the 5-year period, although a significant percentage of patients in the deferred group did not require laser treatment at all.

Other names

ranibizumab + deferred laser treatmentranibizumab with deferred laser