The effect of panretinal laser photocoagulation on visual acuity, visual fields and on subjective visual impairment in preproliferative and early proliferative diabetic retinopathy

• The effect of panretinal laser scatter treatment on visual fields, visual acuity and subjective complaints was assessed in 11 patients with severe nonproliferative or early proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Patients were prospectively examined before and after panretinal treatment using automated static threshold perimetry with program 30-2 on the Humphrey perimeter, and they were interviewed. Visual field sensitivity was often depressed even before treatment with mean MD -4.3 (-1, -11.6) dB, but was significantly lower (p < 0.01, ANOVA) 2 weeks after treatment with mean MD -8.6 dB. Visual fields remained stable 4 months later. Treatment increased the number of eyes with visual fields as defined by abnormal MD values at the p < 0.05 level from 8 to 16 among the 17 treated. In spite of considerable impairment of visual fields after treatment, subjective problems were small and the visual field impairment seemed to have little influence on everyday life.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Oftalmologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Ophthalmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Adult

Diabetic Retinopathy/physiopathology

Fluorescein Angiography

Fundus Oculi

Humans

Laser Coagulation

Middle Aged

Postoperative Complications

Prognosis

Prospective Studies

Retina/physiopathology

Vision Disorders/physiopathology

Visual Acuity/physiology

Visual Field Tests

Visual Fields/physiology

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)