Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine the effect of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) on the pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) and the pulse amplitude (PA) in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
Methods: :
Twelve eyes of 12 patients with PDR who had undergone PRP were included. The POBF and the PA were measured with Langham OBF computerized tonometry system before, 1 month and 6 month after the last photocoagulation.
Results: :
The mean POBF and PA significantly (p<0.05) decreased 1 month (589.8 +/- 74.1 microlit/min and 1.26 +/- 0.23 mmHg) and 6 months (563.39 +/- 51.7 microlit/min and 1.08 +/- 0.10 mmHg) after PRP compared with those (770.2 +/- 90.2 microlit /min and 1.61 +/- 0.24 mmHg) before PRP.
Conclusions: :
This is the first study to examine the effect of PRP on pulsatile ocular blood flow using the Langham tonometer in patients with PDR. The present results that the mean PA and POBF decrease after PRP indicate that total choroidal blood flow may decrease in response to PRP.
Keywords: diabetic retinopathy