Abstract
Purpose:
To report the effect of focal laser photocoagulation in change of hard exudates and rates of progression in eyes with early or moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 60 eyes of 33 patients who were diagnosed with early to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy between January, 2006, and December, 2012. The patients were separated into 2 groups: treated with focal laser photocoagulation group (group A) and without laser photocoagulation (group B). Best corrected visual acuity measurements were reviewed at base-line and annually for five years. Fundus photographs were reviewed at baseline and follow-up periods. Optical coherent tomography measurements were checked when macular edema developed or suspected.
Results:
The mean follow-up period was 51.4 months. Thirty-eight eyes of 20 patients received focal laser photocoagulation. The grades of hard exudates decreased significantly between baseline and at final visit in treated eyes (P<0.05), but not in control eyes (p=0.206). The cumulative probability of progression of retinopathy at 5 years was 29% (group A), 18% (group B) But, the Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed no significant difference in progression between the eyes in group A and group B. (p=0.420).
Conclusions:
Focal laser photocoagulation reduced hard exudates in eyes with early to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. However, this focal laser photocoagulation was not able to decelerate the progression of diabetic retinopathy.