Abstract
Purpose: :
To examine the efficacy of subthreshold micropulse diode laser photocoagulation (SMDLP) for eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) with hard exudates.
Methods: :
Ten eyes of 10 patients with diffuse DME were treated with SMDLP (810 nm). Hard exudates were accumulated within the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in all patients. The mean retinal sensitivity within the central 10°, measured with a fundus-related microperimeter (MP1), the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in logMAR units, and optical coherence tomography (OCT)-determined foveal thickness (FT) were determined before and at 3 months after SMDLP.
Results: :
The FT did not decrease significantly after the SMDLP (P = 0.10), however, the BCVA improved significantly from 0.51±0.25 to 0.40±0.31 logMAR units (P = 0.02). There was no significant change in the mean retinal sensitivity within the central 10 degree after SMDLP.
Conclusions: :
SMDLP can improve the visual acuity even in eyes with DME and hard exudates. However, the therapeutic efficacy of SMDLP for these cases may be limited, because there was no significant improvement in the foveal thickness and retinal sensitivity.
Keywords: macula/fovea • diabetic retinopathy • laser