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. 2018;4(1):259-264.
doi: 10.17554/j.issn.2409-5680.2018.04.70. Epub 2018 Feb 27.

Advances in Retinal Laser Therapy

Jia Li  1 , Yannis Mantas Paulus  2
Affiliations

Advances in Retinal Laser Therapy

Jia Li et al. Int J Ophthalmic Res. 2018.

Abstract

Since the 1960s, laser therapies have played a critical role in the treatment of numerous retinal diseases. Significant advances have been made in laser technology and the molecular understanding of laser-tissue interactions over the past 55 years to maximize the therapeutic effect while minimizing side-effects. While pharmacologic therapies (e.g., anti-vascular endothelial growth factor or anti-VEGF) are playing a larger role, laser therapy remains an important treatment modality for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), diabetic macular edema (DME), sickle cell retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, central serous chorioretinopathy, tumors, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, and retinal tears. With the development new laser technologies such as selective retinal therapy, subthreshold micropulse laser, nanosecond laser, photomediated ultrasound therapy, and navigated laser, the risk of adverse events has been significantly reduced. This review summarizes the latest developments in retinal laser therapy.

Keywords: Laser photocoagulation; Nanosecond pulse laser; Navigated laser; Photo-mediated ultrasound therapy; Retina; Selective retinal therapy; Subthreshold micropulse laser.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: YMP is party on a patent on photo-mediated ultrasound therapy (PUT) through the University of Kansas.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Fundus color photography of the barely visible mETDRS burn endpoint immediately after treatment. (B) Fundus color photography of an HD-SDM nonvisible endpoint immediately after treatment. From: Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating mETDRS versus Normal or High-Density Micropulse Photocoagulation for Diabetic Macular Edema Invest.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Pre-treatment (left side) and 12-month post-treatment (right side) physical and function changes in the treated eye (OD) in a 72-year-old participant using laser protocol 1. From top (a,b) retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer maps from spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), (c,d) fundus photos, (e,f) auto-fluorescence (FAF) images, (g) visual acuity (VA) changes and (h) visual function changes at the points of worse visual sensitivity defect. Note the reduction in para-foveal drusen and hyper-fluorescence on the FAF image and the improvement in both VA and flicker sensitivity, especially at the worst location of the 3° ring.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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