Alimera Sciences wants to see clear into the future. The biopharmaceutical company is developing prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, particularly those aimed at treating ocular diseases affecting the retina. Alimera's most advanced product candidate, Iluvien, is an insert, smaller than a grain of rice, that slowly releases a corticosteroid to the back of the eye to treat diabetic macular edema (DME). DME, a retinal disease affecting diabetics, can lead to severe vision loss and blindness. The company had hoped to gain FDA approval for the drug in 2011; however, a major setback occurred late that year when federal regulators chose to delay approval and request more expensive clinical trials.