Correlation Between Visual Acuity and Macular Thickness in the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema with Anti-VEGF Therapy

Background: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is one of the leading causes of central vision loss in diabetic patients. Anti-VEGF therapy, particularly intravitreal Bevacizumab, is widely used to reduce macular edema and improve visual outcomes. Aim: To evaluate the correlation between visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness (CMT) in patients with DME treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy. Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, from June 2023 to May 2024. A total of 120 patients with DME, aged 25–75 years, received intravitreal Bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and CMT (measured by OCT Topcon 3D OCT) were recorded one week prior and one month after treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, and statistical correlation was assessed using ANOVA. Results: Among the 120 patients (72 males, 48 females; mean age 49.8 ± 6.7 years), the mean duration of diabetes was 10.15 ± 3.21 years. The mean baseline CMT was 384.38 ± 40.51 µm, which reduced to 323.19 ± 32.58 µm after one month of therapy. A total of 61 patients (50.8%) achieved a mean BCVA of 0.5 logMAR at one month. A statistically significant correlation was observed between post-treatment CMT reduction and improvement in VA (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Intravitreal Bevacizumab significantly reduces central macular thickness and improves visual acuity in patients with DME. The strong correlation between CMT reduction and VA improvement highlights the effectiveness of anti-VEGF therapy as a primary treatment option for DME.