This pilot prospective, interventional, longitudinal study, aims to evaluate the potential benefits of the probiotic supplement Lactobacillus plantarum 299v in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).
The study seeks to address the following questions:
1. Does central macular thickness on optical coherence tomography decrease after 4 months of supplementation? 2. Is visual acuity improved at 1, 2, 3, and 4 months following initiation of supplementation? 3. Is the number of anti-VEGF injections reduced following initiation of supplementation?
Outcomes will be compared to a control group, using historic retrospective data.
Participants will take Lactobacillus plantarum 299v orally twice daily for four months.
Age of at least 18 years, presence of DME at the current clinical visit
Patients with contraindication to probiotic supplement (e.g. prior allergy or GI intolerance and any type of immunocompromised diseases).