Comparing Conventional Grid Laser Photocoagulation and Subthreshold Micropulse Laser in Diabetic Macular Edema Using OCT Angiography

Launched by CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG · Jun 8, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Laser photocoagulation was previously a mainstay treatment for DME before the introduction of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents injection. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important mediator of blood-retinal barrier breakdown, which leads to fluid leakage and the development of macular edema \[5\]. Observing that intraocular VEGF levels are increased in DME, using VEGF inhibitors (anti-VEGF) was found to be beneficial in reversing vision loss from macular edema \[6\]. In recent years, many large-scale studies \[7\], \[8\], \[9\], \[10\] had proven tha...

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Patients with best-corrected visual acuity better than 20/200 (checked with refraction test)
• • Patients with clinically significant diabetic macular edema (DME) who have not received any treatment within 6 months
• • Patients with central retinal thickness equal / above to around 400 um
• • Patients who are able to have regular visits after laser treatment for at least 6 months
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Children under the age of 18
• • Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy
• • Patients with co-existing retinal or macular disease, including epiretinal membrane and vitreomacular traction
• • Patients with previous history of laser photocoagulation, anti-VEGF injection, intravitreal steroid injection, vitreoretinal or cataract surgery within a period of 6 months
• • Patients with history of uveitis
• • Patients who are unfit or for capturing of OCT-A images
• • Patients with significant media opacity that may interfere with fundal examination and the acquisition of high quality OCT-A images
• • Patients who are unable to give informed consent to enter the study
• • uncooperative