DME AWARE Study Defines Key Needs

Presenting results from the DME AWARE Delphi Study at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Denver, Baruch D. Kuppermann, MD, PhD, director of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine, described a set of consensus findings that point to unmet needs across the continuum of DME management, with particular emphasis on early intervention and noninvasive treatment options (Figure 1).

By
Jim Gallagher, senior managing editor
May 1, 2026
5 min

Retinal Physician

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The DME AWARE Study identified key unmet needs in diabetic macular edema management, emphasizing early intervention and noninvasive therapies.
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Approximately 60% of patients with diabetic macular edema remain untreated a year after diagnosis, highlighting significant treatment gaps.
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Panelists favored noninvasive treatments over intravitreal therapy, especially for patients with mild or early-stage diabetic macular edema.
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Consensus was reached on defining poor treatment response as less than a 10% reduction in central subfield thickness in diabetic macular edema.
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The study revealed limitations of existing therapies, with 25-40% of patients not achieving optimal outcomes even with anti-VEGF agents.

DME AWARE Study Defines Key Needs

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DME AWARE Study Defines Key Needs

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