Related Experiment Videos
Long term effectiveness of photocoagulation for diabetic maculopathy
E G Davies1, R G Petty, E M Kohner
1Diabetic Retinopathy Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
Eye (London, England)
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Photocoagulation for diabetic maculopathy helped 60% of patients maintain good vision for ten years. However, 50% of those who deteriorated eventually became blind.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Diabetology
- Medical research
Background:
- Diabetic maculopathy is a leading cause of vision loss in diabetic patients.
- Photocoagulation is a common treatment for diabetic maculopathy.
- Long-term visual outcomes of this treatment require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the long-term visual results of photocoagulation for diabetic maculopathy.
- To assess vision maintenance and deterioration over a ten-year period.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 128 eyes of 95 patients with diabetic maculopathy.
- Patients were followed for a mean of 7 years, with ten-year data available for 40 patients (62 eyes).
- Visual acuity was assessed, with definitions for good vision (6/12 or better) and blindness (6/60 or worse).
Main Results:
- 60% of eyes with initially good vision maintained that level at ten years.
- Among eyes that deteriorated, 50% became blind by the ten-year mark.
- Eyes with exudative maculopathy had better final vision (48%) compared to oedematous and ischaemic maculopathy (26%).
Conclusions:
- Photocoagulation can preserve good vision in a significant proportion of diabetic maculopathy patients long-term.
- A considerable risk of blindness persists, particularly for those whose vision deteriorates.
- Exudative maculopathy appears to respond more favorably to photocoagulation than other forms.