Focal Laser Photocoagulation in Non-Center Involved Diabetic Macular Edema

Abstract This study was performed to evaluate the functional and anatomic outcomes of focal macular laser photocoagulation in eyes with non-center involved macular edema (non-CI ME). Forty-nine eyes of ۴۳ patients with non-CI ME were included. Focal macular laser photocoagulation was conducted on twenty-nine eyes of ۲۵ patients, while ۲۰ eyes of ۱۸ patients with non-CI ME were followed without treatment and served as the control group. Data relating to best corrected visual acuity (BCVA; Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) and central subfield thickness (CST), inner zone thickness (IZT), outer zone thickness (OZT), and total macular volume (TMV) as determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT) were collected and compared between the groups. At ۱۲ months, VA decreased by a mean of ۰.۴ letters in the treatment group and ۳.۳ letters in the control group (p=۰.۰۳). Gain in VA ≥۵ letters was noted in ۶ (۲۱%) of the eyes in the treatment group versus ۱ (۵%) eye in the control group (p=۰.۱۲). At ۱۲ months, average IZT decreased by ۲۲.۶ microns in the treatment group and increased by ۱۰.۹ microns in the control group (p<۰.۰۰۱). The treatment group revealed significant reduction in CST, average OZT, and TMV as compared to the control group at ۱۲ months (all p<۰.۰۵).Generally, focal laser photocoagulation may have more favourable visual outcomes in this specific group of diabetic patients than does observation. In addition, focal laser treatment provided better outcomes with improvement in OCT parameters as compared to the control group.