Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) is the backbone of therapy for reduced retinal blood flow (ischemic) disease. The procedure creates thermal burns in the outer (peripheral) retina, causing tissue coagulation. This improves retinal oxygenation by destroying non-essential retina to preserve the useful and functional retina.
The causes of pan-retinal photocoagulation put a stop to the development of new vessels over the retina and elsewhere, and not to regain lost vision. There is no improvement in vision after the laser treatment. Vision may decrease due to edema or swelling of the retina, after the laser treatment.
Panretinal photocoagulation indication
It is a treatment is used to indicate retinal ischemia and retinal neovascularization, from whatever cause. Doctors most commonly perform for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Panretinal photocoagulation procedure
Panretinal photocoagulation is a mainstay of therapy for retinal ischemic disease. The procedure creates thermal burns in the peripheral retina, causing tissue coagulation and improving retinal oxygenation.
Panretinal photocoagulation procedure Laser
The Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS) examined the effects of PRP through xenon arc lasers. Laser photocoagulation is a type of laser surgery for the eyes. Doctors use it to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a condition that can lead to loss of vision. The retina is the layer of cells in the back of your eye that converts light into electrical signals.
Panretinal photocoagulation treatment
The treatment can take about two weeks, but the exact recovery time will vary for each person. It’s normal for your vision to be blurry the first 24 hours after surgery. Make sure to follow any activity limitations recommended by your doctor to give your eye time to heal. Panretinal photocoagulation treats diabetic retinopathy. It became the gold standard after the success of the Diabetic Retinopathy Study and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study.
Panretinal photocoagulation treatment for diabetic retinopathy
Doctors use laser PRP treatment as the standard intervention for patients with high-risk progressive diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and studies show it reduces the risk of severe vision loss in at-risk eyes by 50%. Diabetic retinopathy affects your sight, the main treatment is laser treatment to treat the growth of new blood vessels at the back of the eye (retina) in cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and to stabilize some cases of maculopathy. A patient suffering from advanced diabetic retinopathy may undergo scatter laser surgery as part of the treatment plan.
Which laser is used for Panretinal photocoagulation?
The laser used for pan-retinal photocoagulation is yellow, green, or red laser light. The tissue absorbs laser energy, converts it into thermal energy, and raises the temperature by approximately 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. It is a type of laser treatment for the eye. Doctors use it in people who have developed new abnormal blood vessels.
Panretinal photocoagulation and focal treatment
Doctors use focal photocoagulation treatment to seal specific leaking blood vessels in a small area of the retina, usually near the macula. During focal treatment, the patient may experience bright flashes of light and typically no pain. The treatment takes a few minutes. Afterward, your vision will be dark.
Is pan-retinal photocoagulation painful
Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for proliferative retinopathy is known to cause pain for some people. Few studies have explored how pain affects the procedure in clinical practice. Most retinal laser treatments involve only mild discomfort. Depending on the type of treatment, different anesthetics are used. Many treatments require only anesthetic eye drops, which numb the eye. Some laser treatments involve greater discomfort and require an anesthetic injection.
How long does the laser surgery take?
Laser treatment takes less than 30 minutes. Patients can go home immediately after surgery.
About Author:
Dr. Mansi Mehrotra is Medical Retina And Uvea Consultant Ophthalmologist at Vijaya Nethralaya, Bangalore. With a special interest in diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, Dr. Mansi has, throughout her career performed several cataract surgeries. She has treated retinopathy of prematurity with a laser indirect ophthalmoscope. She has penned several publications for peer-reviewed journals and presented papers at state conferences.