[Nanosecond retinal laser therapy: three years of practical experience]

This study evaluated the outcomes of a 36-month follow-up after treatment with the ELLEX 2RT nanosecond laser.

The study included 72 patients divided into two groups. Group 1 received 2RT nanosecond laser therapy, while group 2 did not undergo laser treatment. Patients with early and intermediate stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were enrolled. The exclusion criteria from the study were the presence of reticular pseudodrusen, drusenoid detachment (avascular pigment epithelial detachment) measuring >1000 μm, and areas of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

After treatment, visual acuity in group 1 did not change and remained stable at 0.99, while in group 2 there was a decrease in mean uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) from 0.98 to 0.86. In addition, OCT findings in group 1 showed no progression in 96% (41 eyes) of cases. At the same time, in 2% (1 eye) of cases, there was a significant positive trend in relation to retinal anatomy according to OCT, and in 2% (1 eye) of cases, despite some negative dynamics in retinal anatomy, there was no decrease in vision. In contrast, the disease progressed to the wet form in 19% of group 2 patients after 36 months of follow-up. According to microperimetry, retinal sensitivity in the macular area and in 2RT foci in group 1 was stable or slightly improved. There was a trend toward improved fixation on microperimetry.

Results of the study show that after 2RT therapy the condition of the retina can stabilize or even improve, supporting the broader use of retinal laser stimulation using a nanosecond laser in patients with early forms of AMD to prevent the progression of the disease and its transition to the wet form.