Short-term effects of focal argon laser treatment in diabetic maculopathy as demonstrated by optical coherence tomography.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the short-term effects of argon laser on retinal thickening as demonstrated by optical coherence tomography (OCT).


METHODS
A prospectively collected consecutive series of patients undergoing routine focal argon laser treatment for sight-threatening diabetic maculopathy had bilateral OCT performed before laser treatment and 1 hour, 24 hours, and 2 weeks after treatment. The main outcome measure was change in retinal thickness in the region of laser treatment.


RESULTS
Forty-six eyes were analyzed. There was a small increase in retinal thickness in the treated area 1 hour after laser treatment, with a mean change from before laser treatment of +2.6 microm (95% confidence interval [CI], +0.2 to + 5.0). However, there was a larger change 24 hours after treatment of +39.0 microm (95% CI, +31.6 to + 46.4) and a significant decrease 2 weeks after treatment of -14.6 microm (95% CI, -21.6 to -7.7) from before laser treatment values.


CONCLUSIONS
Focal argon laser treatment remains the first-line treatment for sight-threatening diabetic maculopathy. This study shows that in the short-term, areas of retinal thickening worsen before settling in response to argon laser treatment as demonstrated by OCT.
Sandhu
Sukhpal S
SS
Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Birch
Michael K
MK
Griffiths
Philip G
PG
Talks
Stephen J
SJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence