Laser therapy for diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy by inducing macular edema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, is the most prevalent cause of visual loss in developed countries. Also, it is one of the most frequent causes of legal blindness in developing countries. The effective role of laser treatment has been proven in major randomized clinical trials. Scatter panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and high-risk characteristics, decreases the risk of visual loss in >50% of eyes. Also, scatter PRP may have some benefits in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. In clinically significant macular edema, focal laser photocoagulation decreases the risk of moderate visual loss up to 50%. In this article, we describe the laser photocoagulation technique and characteristics in the management of diabetic retinopathy.