Comparison of the Effect of One and Three Sessions of Scatter Panretinal Photocoagulation (PRP) on the Improvement of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of using a panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) laser in one or three sessions on the improvement of symptoms of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In a clinical trial study, 80 eyes from 40 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy were selected and randomly divided into two groups. The first group was cured by 2400 spots in one session of PRP and the second group was cured by 2400 spots divided in three sessions (3 × 800) of PRP. Finally, early complication of laser therapy was compared between the two groups. The changes of visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and central macula thickness were not significantly different between the two groups of one and three sessions of PRP. Performing PRP in a single session or three divided sessions does not have an effect on visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and macular thickness; but it seems that the laser is preferred in one session due to reduced frequency of visits and therapeutic costs.