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Socioeconomic status linked to visual outcomes in diabetic macular edema study

Ophthalmology 360

Key Takeaways

  1. Anti-VEGF treatment patterns and injection frequency were similar regardless of socioeconomic status.
  2. Retinal anatomy outcomes (CFT and macular volume) did not differ between ADI groups.
  3. Visual acuity was significantly better in the higher-SES group after 24 months, potentially linked to higher cataract surgery rates.

A US single-center retrospective study found that socioeconomic status was associated with differences in visual outcomes among patients treated for diabetic macular edema (DME), despite similar treatment patterns and anatomic responses.

Researchers reviewed records from patients diagnosed with DME between 2014 and 2022 and followed for up to 24 months. Patients were grouped by national Area Deprivation Index (ADI) percentile: those below the 75th percentile were classified as low ADI (higher socioeconomic status), and those at or above the 75th percentile were classified as high ADI (lower socioeconomic status). The analysis included 60 patients in the low ADI group and 57 in the high ADI group.

At baseline, visual acuity and retinal anatomy were similar between groups. Over the study period, there were no significant differences in the number or type of anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) or steroid injections received.

After 24 months mean best-corrected visual acuity was worse in the high ADI group compared with the low ADI group, a statistically significant difference. In contrast, final central foveal thickness and macular volume were not significantly different between groups.

The low ADI group was also more likely to undergo cataract surgery during the treatment period. Investigators suggested that this difference in access to cataract surgery may help explain the better visual outcomes observed in patients with higher socioeconomic status.

Reference
Groothoff JD, Elander AG, Wang SK, et al. The Impact of Socioeconomic Deprivation on Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy and Ocular Response in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema. J Vitreoretin Dis. 2026;24741264251412057. doi: 10.1177/24741264251412057. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41664816; PMCID: PMC12882840.

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