Results from a preliminary study suggest a central role for TNF-mediated pathogenesis mechanisms in DME. Recent experimental evidence also indicates that low-grade subclinical inflammation is responsible for many of the signature vascular lesions of diabetic retinopathy On the other hand, studies in patients with arthritis have shown that anti-TNF therapy negatively affects vascular permeability and angiogenesis by decreasing the potent angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor, which has been implicated directly in the pathogenesis of DME and diabetic retinopathy.