Peripheral circumferential retinal scatter photocoagulation for treatment of proliferative sickle retinopathy

Twenty-nine patients (40 eyes) with proliferative sickle retinopathy (PSR) were treated with circumferential argon laser scatter photocoagulation to zones of peripheral retinal capillary nonperfusion. Each eye was examined in a prospective fashion, with a mean follow-up of 1.4 years. Following scatter treatment, 26% of the pre-existing sea fans regressed completely, 57% regressed partially, 17% remained stable, and none showed progression. In only one eye did de novo neovascularization develop. The results compare favorably with the natural history of PSR (Condon et al, 1980), in which de novo lesions occurred in 58%, and the visual acuity was decreased to less than 20/200 in 12% of affected eyes. Severe iatrogenic complications reported following direct focal treatment of sea fans, such as vitreous hemorrhage, progressive traction retinal detachment, retinal breaks, and choroidal-retinal-vitreal neovascularization were virtually eliminated.