Effect of calcium dobesilate on intraretinal cysts and exudates in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a Fiji ImageJ analysis

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss in diabetic patients, primarily due to increased vascular permeability and microvascular dysfunction. Calcium dobesilate (CaD) has been suggested as a potential treatment to mitigate retinal exudates and intraretinal cyst formation. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the effects of CaD on intraretinal cyst and exudate sizes in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) using Fiji ImageJ software. This retrospective observational study included 132 NPDR patients aged 40–69, divided into two groups: those receiving CaD (n = 66) and those not receiving treatment (n = 66). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure the sizes of intraretinal cysts (IRC) and intraretinal exudates (IRE) at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Image analysis was performed using Fiji ImageJ. Statistical comparisons were made using repeated measures ANOVA and non-parametric tests. At 6 months, the treatment group exhibited a non-significant reduction in IRC and IRE sizes, while the control group showed a significant increase in both parameters (p = 0.002). No significant differences in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were observed between the groups (p > 0.05). Although the reduction in IRC and IRE sizes in the CaD group was not statistically significant, the significant progression of these lesions in the control group suggests a potential protective effect of CaD. Further long-term prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings and determine the clinical significance of CaD in NPDR management.