International Consortium Investigating Early Vitrectomy in Diabetic Macular Edema Patients

Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women, \> 18 years of age with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosed and treated by an endocrinologist, internist or family medicine physician * Background diabetic retinopathy * DME with central subfield thickness (CST) \> 325 µm by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) * HbA1c level of \< 10.0 mg/dl * Previous cataract surgery with implantation of a stable posterior chamber intraocular lens or a phakic eye with 1+ (out of 4+ scale) or less lens opacification * Predominantly intact (80%) external limiting membrane (ELM) and photoreceptor inner/outer segment (IS/OS) lines within 500 µm of the fovea on horizontal and vertical SD-OCT scans * Best corrected Snellen visual acuity from 20/40 to 20/280 inclusive. Exclusion Criteria: * Intraocular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection within the previous 3 months * Systemic anti-VEGF or receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy within the previous 3 months * Intraocular corticosteroid injection within the previous 6 months * Peri-ocular corticosteroid injection within the previous 3 months * Vitreomacular traction on SD-OCT scan (epiretinal membrane is allowed) * Previous anterior or pars plana vitrectomy * Glaucoma (IOP of \> 21 mmHg or regular use of more than 2 IOP lowering drugs) * Previous trabeculectomy * Likelihood of needing intraocular surgery within 6 months * Hard exudates involving the fovea * Proliferative diabetic retinopathy with any evidence of retinal traction * Cataract of grade 2+ or greater.