title: Morphological and functional outcomes following modified early treatment diabetic retinopathy study laser in diabetic macular edema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to report morphological and functional outcomes following modified early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) laser in diabetic macular edema (DME).
  
  
  METHODS
  Structural and functional changes using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and microperimetry (MP) were studied before and 4 months after laser in 37 eyes with clinically significant macular edema (ME) requiring modified ETDRS laser treatment. Paired t-test was used to compare pre and postlaser outcomes P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Central foveal thickness showed a significant reduction after laser P = 0.004. There was a significant reduction in mean retinal thickness (MRT) and retinal volume in all the quadrants of ETDRS except for the temporal and nasal quadrants in outer 6 mm ring. Maximum reduction in MRT was seen in eyes with DME having neurosensory detachment (382.66 μ to 292.61 μ). Retinal sensitivities reduced in all quadrants following laser, however, fixation patterns showed improvements. The change in VA was positively correlated to change in MRT (r = 0.468, P = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laser not only causes structural benefits such as reduction of retinal thickness and volume, it also causes improvement of fixation patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal, 18, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.affiliation: Department of Optometry, Elite School of Optometry, No.8, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Kiruthika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Santhanam
authors.affiliation: Department of Optometry, Elite School of Optometry, No.8, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Laxmi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gella
authors.affiliation: Department of Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal, 18, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Bikramjit P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Department of Shri Bhagwan Mahavir Vitreoretinal, 18, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sharma
keywords: Diabetic macular edema; laser; microperimetry; spectral domain optical coherence tomography