[Changes in the visual field and dark adaptation following panretinal photocoagulation in diabetic retinopathy]

Within the past 5 years panretinal photocoagulation was performed in both eyes of 36 patients (Type I diabetics) with proliferative retinopathy. The age of these patients was between 21 and 38 years. The average follow-up period was 3.6 years. The effects on visual acuity, visual field, and dark adaptation were examined: in 65.3% of the cases (47 eyes) visual acuity remained unchanged; in 34.7% (25 eyes) central visual acuity was reduced. Depending on the coagulation technique and the number of coagulates applied, the visual field narrowed in a more or less pronounced way. Moreover, in all patients the dark adaptation threshold was elevated after panretinal photocoagulation.