Background: Diabetic macular edema is a type of diabetic maculopathy affecting the centralvision, ranging from mild blur to blindness. Laser photocoagulation has been the mainstay of treatment for the past three decades but it has a limited role in improving the central vision. Recentintroduction of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors appears to be promising in restoring vision.However, due to its short half life multiple injections are required to control edema and maintainvision.

Objectives: To determine the visual and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab inpatients with diabetic macular edema.

Methods: A hospital based retrospective cross-sectional study was done at Kilimanjaro ChristianMedical Center eye department from 2011- 2015. During this time, patients with  diabetic macularedema who were given intravitreal bevacizumab and satisfied the inclusion criteria were included inthe study. Visual acuity, central macular thickness and macular volume were recorded at baseline,six, twelve, eighteen, twenty four and thirty weeks respectively. Optical coherence tomography wasused to record central macular thickness and macular volume. Univariate and multivariate binaryregression analysis were done and the p-value, odds ratio and 95% confidence interval werecalculated.

Results: The prevalence of Diabetic macular edema was 15.4%. Mean baseline visual acuityimproved from  0.9 ± 0.57 log MAR (6/48) to 0.6±0.49 log MAR (6/24) (95% CI 0.207 - 0.389) at 30weeks. The mean baseline central macular thickness decreased from 426.97 ± 148.358 μm to280.98 ± 95.89  μm at 30 weeks (95% 151.531 - 187.044, P < .001). The mean baseline macularvolume decreased significantly from 10.59 ± 2.55 mm 3to 8.38 ± 1.498 mm 3(95% CI 1.860 - 2.886) at 30 weeks. In multivariate analysis, patients with no hypertension were more likely to have abetter visual outcome of 6/18 or better (95% CI 1.064 - 4.420, P < .033).

Conclusion: This study shows a high burden of diabetic macular edema in our setting. Intravitrealbevacizumab injection results in better visual and anatomical outcomes.