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Effect of focal laser photocoagulation in eyes with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

AIM
To report the effect of focal laser photocoagulation on both the severity of hard exudates (HEs) and the rate of disease progression in eyes with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 33 patients (60 eyes) who had been diagnosed with mild to moderate NPDR between January 2006 and December 2012. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A (38 eyes in 20 patients treated using focal laser photocoagulation) and Group B (treated without laser photocoagulation). We also reviewed the best corrected visual acuity measurements, and the fundus photographs taken at both baseline and follow-up visits.


RESULTS
In Group A, HE severity grade had decreased significantly from baseline to the final visit (P<0.05), but this was not the case in Group B (P=0.662). The cumulative probabilities of retinopathy progression at 5y were 26% in Group A and 30% in Group B. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed no significant difference between the groups with regard to retinopathy progression (P=0.805).


CONCLUSION
Focal laser photocoagulation reduced the levels of HEs in eyes with mild to moderate NPDR. However, the treatment was not able to decelerate the progression of DR.