The Comparision of Venous Filling Time Before and After Panretinal Photocoagulation in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) has influence on peripheral retina, and progression of DR is thought to make prolongation of peripheral retinal circulation. However, there has been no study on circulation of peripheral retina. This study is to make a comparision of peripheral retinal microcirculation between control, non-proliferative diabetic retin-opathy (NPDR), and pre-and post-panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: The authors performed the study on 19 control eyes and 68 DR eyes (NPDR 31, PDR 37) and PDR group was subdivided into before and after PRP. The authors measured arm to retinal circulation time (ART), arteriovenous passage time (AVP), venous filling time (VFT) by scanning laser ophthalmoscope in upper temporal retinal vessel in order to evaluate peripheral retinal microcirculation. RESULTS: VFT was 9.4+/-0.3 sec in pre-PRP of PDR, 7.5+/-0.6 sec (p<0.05) in post-PRP of PDR and 6.4+/-2.2 sec in control, 8.17+/-1.90 sec (p<0.05) in NPDR. However, there is no significant difference in ART, AVP. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NPDR showed prolongation of VFT compared to normal indivisuals. There was shortening of VFT in post-PRP of PDR similar to NPDR. Peripheral retinal circulation time after PRP can be utilized as an indicator of PRP effect.