Purpose: The aim of the present study was the evaluation of visual outcome of 425 eyes in 283 patients treated by focal and grid pattern photocoagulation for clinically significant macular edema according to the recommendations of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS).
Material and methods: On the basis of baseline status of macula, eyes were classified into three groups: group I--eyes treated by focal photocoagulation (39 eyes), group II--eyes treated by focal photocoagulation and/or modified grid (84 eyes), group III--eyes treated by focal photocoagulation and/or grid pattern (302 eyes). Eligibility criteria for this retrospective study included a diagnosis of clinically significant macular edema according to the ETDRS scale. The baseline examination for all patients presented in this review included: the best corrected visual acuity (VA), slit lamp with contact lens indirect ophthalmoscopy, fundus color photography and fluorescein angiography. All patients were treated with argon green by grid with Nidek 2300 laser. Modified grid or focal photocoagulation according to the ETDRS recommendations were performed. Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) were transferred to panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) after treatment of maculopathy. Development of VA from the baseline to last checkup in treated eyes was reported and compared. Follow-up ranged widely from 6 to 45 months.
Results: General stabilization was achieved in 51.3%, improvement in 10.1% and deterioration in 38.6% of eyes. The best results were achieved after selective and focal and/or modified grid treatment: in the Ist group stabilization of VA was achieved in 43.6% and improvement in 41% of eyes; in the IInd group: stabilization in 60.7% and improvement in 21.4% were stated; in the IIIrd group: stabilization in 49.7% and improvement only in 3.0%. In 164 (38.6%) cases supplemental treatment was administered.
Conclusion: Photocoagulation has proved effective in the treatment of diabetic clinically significant macular edema.