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¹Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Göz Hastalıkları A.D., İzmir, Uz. Dr.
²Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Göz Hastalıkları A.D., İzmir, Asist. Dr.
³Manisa Devlet Hastanesi, Göz Hastalıkları Kliniği, Manisa, Uz. Dr.
⁴Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Göz Hastalıkları A.D., İzmir, Prof. Dr. Purpose: To examine the long-term status of retinopathy in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) after panretinal laser photocoagulation (PRP).
Materials and Methods: Records of 407 eyes of 204 patients who were diagnosed with PDR and regularly followed up for at least for 5 years between 1992 and 2002 in Dokuz Eylul University Eye Clinic were examined retrospectively. Demographic data, number of photocoagulation sessions, the presence of clinically significant macular edema, and the need for vitrectomy were examined. Visual acuity before PRP and at the end of follow-up was compared using the Wilcoxon test. Severe visual loss was assessed as recommended by the Diabetic Retinopathy Study.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 68.08±10.44 (30-82) years. Patients were followed up for 8.72±3.36 (5-17) years. In addition to PRP treatment, 248 (60.9%) eyes were treated with focal and/or grid laser (focal in 225 eyes, grid in 13 eyes, focal+grid in 10 eyes) due to clinically significant macular edema. A hundred and fifty-nine eyes did not have clinically significant macular edema. PRP was performed in an average of 4.21±1.86 (1-11) sessions. Thirty eyes underwent vitrectomy during the follow-up period. LogMAR visual acuity before the PRP and at the end of follow up was 0.82±1.12 and 1.28±1.23, respectively. At the last visit visual acuity was 1/10 and below in 185 (45.5%) eyes and 61 (15%) eyes showed an increase in 2 or more Snellen lines. Severe visual loss in eyes with visual acuity ≥1/10 at the initial visit occurred in 75 (18.4%) eyes.
Conclusion: Laser photocoagulation provides long-term stabilization in many eyes with PDR. Keywords : Diabetic Retinopathy Study, panretinal photocoagulation, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy