Page 73 - NAME OF CONDITION: REFRACTIVE ERRORS

Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy

Proliferative Retinopathy Clinically Significant Clinically Significant Macular
Macular Oedema Oedema

Retinal microaneurysms Retinal thickening & areas of
non-perfusion
Type of laser Argon green Green or yellow (577) Green or yellow (577) argon laser
argon laser

Spot size 200-500µm 50 - 100µm 100µm

Power 0.2 - 0.8 watts 0.1 - 0.3 watts 0.1 - 0.3 watts

Duration 0.2 seconds 0.1 seconds 0.05 - 0.1 seconds

End point Faint white burn at level of Faint whitening of RPE or Very faint white burn at level of
retinal pigment epithelium darkening of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)
(RPE) microaneurysm

How to treat Do not overlap burns Apply burns directly to Place burns at least one burn
Do not treat within temporal microaneurysms width apart, to make a grid which
arcades includes the area of retinal
Do not treat within one disc thickening
diameter of optic disc Do not treat within 500m of
Do not treat within two disc fovea at first session

diameters temporal to fovea

Number of Approximately 2,000 Variable Variable
burns

Number of Two sessions. Treat the lower One One
sessions half of the retina first (1,000
burns)

Other Topical steroids and mydriatic
after treatment

Signs of New vessels regressing Less retinal Less retinal thickening
resolution Reduced blood flow in new thickening/exudate
vessels
More fibrous tissue
Less beading of retinal veins

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