ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and macular thickness as measured by enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) after argon laser panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in patients with severe diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: This prospective, comparative case series included 21 patients (28 eyes) with severe diabetic retinopathy. All patients underwent three sessions of PRP. The SFCT and macular thickness were measured using EDI-OCT at baseline and one week after completion of 3 sessions of PRP. RESULTS: SFCT before PRP was 318.1±96.5 µm and increased to 349.9±108.3 µm; P=0.001 after PRP. Macular thickness significantly increased at one week after PRP from 273.1±23.9 µm at baseline 295.8±25.3 µm at one week; (P<0.001). No significant relationship between the changes in macular thickness and SFCT was observed (r=−0.13, P=0.52). CONCLUSION: PRP induced increases in both SFCT and macular thickness. Changes in SFCT did not correlate with changes in macular thickness.