AIM: To evaluate the effectivity and safety of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide(TA)combined with retinal laser photocoagulation in the treatment of diabetic macular edema(DME).

METHODS: Thirty-seven cases(55 eyes)with DME were selected and treated by intravitreal TA injection first and laser photocoagulation after three weeks, best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), fundus examination and intraocular pressure(IOP)were examined before TA injection and 1 month, 3 and 6 months after treatment, optical coherence tomography(OCT), fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)were examined 3 months after treatment.

RESULTS: The average visual acuity was 0.1627±0.1016, 0.2743±0.1617, 0.2615±0.1833 at preoperative, 3 and 6 months after treatment. The visual acuity after treatment was significantly improved than preoperative(P<0.01). The average macular thickness was 467.5±150.9μm, 272.7±120.1μm, 308.1±136.2μm at preoperative, 3 and 6 months after treatment. The macular thickness after treatment was significantly lower than preoperative(P<0.01). The macular area and related vascular fluorescein leakage was significantly reduced after treatment.

CONCLUSION: The combination of triamcinolone acetonide intravitreous injection with retinal laser photocoagulation can be an effective method in the treatment of DME, visual acuity improved efficiency was best 3 months after treatment.