Turkish Abstract Abstract Article PDF Similar Articles

Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Purpose: To evaluate the results of argon lazer photocoagulation for diabetic maculopathy and to determine the predictors of visual outcome.
Methods: Fifty-eight eyes of 31 patients who underwent argon lazer photocoagualtion for diabetic maculopathy were evaluated retrospectively. Routine ophthalmic examination including fluorescein angiography and fundus photography were performed. Blood glucose level and presence of systemic vascular disease and/or hypertension were evaluated from patients' records. Thirty eyes with focal maculopathy were treated with argon green focal photocoagulation and 28 eyes with diffuse maculopathy were treated with argon green grid photocoagulation. Visual improvement, visual loss, and the association between visual outcomes and hypertension or systemic vascular disease were assessed.
Results: Thirty seven (% 63.8) eyes had non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 21 (% 36.2) eyes had proliferative diabetic retinopathy. However, 12 (% 40) eyes had improved visual acuity, 18 (% 60) eyes had stable visual acuity and no eyes had worsened visual acuity in the focal lazer group. Whereas, 3 (% 10.7) eyes had better , 18 (% 64.3) eyes had stable and 7 (% 25) eyes had worse visual acuity after grid lazer photocoagulation in the diffuse maculopathy group. If hypertension and systemic vascular disease were associated with macular edema, there were a significant decline in the outcomes after lazer photocoagulation.
Conclusions: The results of our study support previously published reports, suggesting the beneficial effects of grid or focal lazer photocoagulation in diffuse or focal macular edema. The treatment greatly maintain pretreatment visual acuity. But, we found statistically significant association between systemic problems, systemic vascular disease and bad visual outcomes. Keywords :