by Colin Kenny, GP, Dromore
In diabetic retinopathy, new blood vessels grow in the retina – a harmful phenomenon known as proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Laser photocoagulation is an intervention that is commonly used to treat diabetic retinopathy. The Cochrane analysts found five key studies that compared laser photocoagulation with currently available lasers against no (or deferred) treatment. Across these studies, 4786 people were included, and the majority of participants were people with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
The study showed that treatment with laser reduced the risk of severe visual loss by over 50% at 12 months. There was a beneficial effect on diabetic retinopathy, with treated eyes experiencing a 50% reduction in risk of progression of diabetic retinopathy and a similar reduction in risk of vitreous haemorrhage. The review goes on to highlight newer treatments such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies, but it provides clear evidence that laser photocoagulation is beneficial in treating proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
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