Grid-Pattern Laser Photocoagulation in Diabetic Macular Edema

ABSTRACT

Diabetic macular edema is the most frequent cause of visual loss among patients with background diabetic retinopathy. We reviewed 62 cases(39 patients) of diffuse diabetic macular edema which were treated by grid-pattern photocoagulation treatment and followed up for more than 3 months from March 1989 to July 1990. The results were as follows. 1. There was improvement of visual acuity in 13 eyes(21.0%), no changes in 33 eyes(53.2%), and 16 eyes(25.8%) showed worsened visual acuity. 2. There was improvement in the degree of macular edema in 28 eyes(45.7%), no change in 15 eyes(24.2%), and 19 eyes(30.6%) showed a worsened degree of macular edema. 3. Clinical findings having poorer visual prognoses were the presence of foveal exudate, hypertension, preoperative vision worse than 20/100, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.