A randomized clinical trial of feeder vessel photocoagulation of sickle cell retinopathy. A long-term follow-up.
Long-term follow-up of patients enrolled in a randomized prospective trial of feeder vessel photocoagulation for proliferative sickle retinopathy has been completed. Of the 44 patients enrolled in Chicago, nearly a decade follow-up has been achieved on 29 patients (45 eyes). There were 20 control untreated eyes and 25 argon laser-treated eyes. Prolonged loss of visual acuity was rare in both groups. Argon laser photocoagulation has had a sustained effect on reducing the incidence of vitreous hemorrhage and visual loss from vitreous hemorrhage. Nine (45%) of 20 control eyes had vitreous hemorrhage, and it was recurrent in six (66%) of these nine eyes. A single episode was the only hemorrhagic event in the treated eyes. The laser-induced complications of choroidal neovascularization or retinal detachment were not associated with long-term visual sequelae. New sea fan evolution in 47% of study eyes suggests that these patients require long-term surveillance.
Jacobson
M S
MS
Sickle Cell Eye Clinic, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago.
Gagliano
D A
DA
Cohen
S B
SB
Rabb
M F
MF
Jampol
L M
LM
Farber
M D
MD
Goldberg
M F
MF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008028:Light Coagulation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000601:surgery*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery