Journal of Medicine and Applied Clinical Sciences
Peer Reviewed Open Access Journal
ISSN: 3139-5120
Peer Reviewed Open Access Journal
ISSN: 3139-5120
Background: Retinal laser photocoagulation remains an established treatment for sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (DR), with its principal benefit often being preservation of existing vision rather than substantial visual acuity gain. However, short-term visual trajectories may vary according to baseline ocular and systemic characteristics. This study evaluated visual outcomes following retinal laser photocoagulation over a 6-week follow-up period and assessed associations between visual outcomes and baseline visual acuity, DR severity, glycemic status, maculopathy, diabetes duration, age, and sex.
Methods: This study included 60 patients with DR involving 100 treated eyes who underwent retinal laser photocoagulation. Best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) was assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 weeks after treatment. At 6 weeks, visual outcomes were categorized as improvement (≥2 Snellen lines), stable vision, or worsening (≥2 Snellen lines). Outcomes were evaluated according to baseline BCDVA, DR severity, HbA1c category, maculopathy status, diabetes duration, age, and sex. Longitudinal changes in BCDVA were assessed using Tukey HSD pairwise comparisons, and associations between clinical characteristics and visual outcomes were examined using appropriate statistical analyses.
Results: At 6 weeks, 17 (17.0%) of 100 treated eyes demonstrated improvement of ≥2 Snellen lines, 81 (81.0%) remained stable, and 2 (2.0%) worsened by ≥2 Snellen lines. No statistically significant differences were observed between baseline and Week 1 (mean difference, 0.03; Q = 0.64; p = 0.9698), Week 3 (mean difference, 0.05; Q = 1.37; p = 0.7664), or Week 6 (mean difference, 0.05; Q = 1.37; p = 0.7664) BCDVA. Visual outcomes varied across baseline BCDVA and DR severity categories. Diabetes duration was significantly associated with post-laser visual outcome (p = 0.02636).
Conclusion: Retinal laser photocoagulation was predominantly associated with short-term preservation of visual acuity, with 81.0% of treated eyes maintaining stable vision at 6 weeks and 17.0% demonstrating clinically meaningful improvement. Baseline visual acuity, DR severity, and diabetes duration were associated with variation in post-treatment visual outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of baseline clinical characteristics in prognostic counseling and individualized follow-up following retinal laser photocoagulation. Further prospective studies with larger samples and longer follow-up are warranted to determine the durability of these visual outcomes.
Diabetic retinopathy, Retinal laser photocoagulation, Panretinal photocoagulation, Best-corrected visual acuity, Visual outcomes, Diabetes mellitus
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