Intravitreal therapy of diabetic macular edema in Russian Federation: current state of the problem

Abstract

Currently there is a significant increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus all over the world, and Russia is not an exception. With the increase in patients with diabetic retinopathy, also rises the incidence of diabetic macular edema, which can lead to persistent loss of vision and disability dramatically affecting the quality of life. Antiangiogenic therapy that is effectively used all over world has specific features for clinical practice in Russia because of its high cost, insufficient public funding, low patient compliance, remoteness of patients from the places of medical care, and low awareness of both patients and doctors about the treatment effectiveness and required regimen. All these problems slow the adoption of this progressive treatment method. Analyzing the causes of low adoption of antiangiogenic therapy and proposing new ways to solve these problems can help reduce the rate of blindness and disability caused by eye complications of diabetes mellitus in Russian Federation, particularly in young and working population.