Update on current pharmacologic therapies for diabetic retinopathy

IntroductionDiabetic retinopathy is a major cause of visual loss worldwide. The most important clinical findings include diabetic macular edema (DME) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).Areas coveredPubMed was used for our literature review. Articles from 1995 to 2023 were included. Pharmacologic treatment of diabetic retinopathy generally involves the use of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for DME and PDR. Corticosteroids remain important second-line therapies for patients with DME. Most emerging therapies focus on newly identified inflammatory mediators and biochemical signaling pathways involved in disease pathogenesis.Expert opinionEmerging anti-VEGF modalities, integrin antagonists, and anti-inflammatory agents have the potential to improve outcomes with reduced treatment burdens.