[Non-contact navigated laser retinopexy for peripheral retinal tears and rhegmatogenous degenerations: first experience]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the first outcomes of non-contact navigated laser retinopexy for peripheral tears and rhegmatogenous degenerations of the retina.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This prospective single-center interventional pilot study included 58 patients (68 eyes), among which 19 males and 39 females aged 47.5±16.9 years with peripheral retinal degenerations and symptomatic retinal tears who received non-contact laser retinopexy with the Navilas 577s navigated laser system and non-contact PRP widefield objective. All patients (68 eyes) underwent laser treatment for the following disorders: horseshoe tear in 13 eyes, retinal hole in 11 eyes, operculated retinal hole in 3 eyes, lattice degeneration in 19 eyes, snail track degeneration in 1 eye, vitreoretinal tufts in 16 eyes, and progressing bullous retinoschisis in 5 eyes. Pain intensity was assessed using a four-point verbal rating scale.

RESULTS

All patients were followed up for 5 to 21 months (9.0±3.3 months on average). Stable condition of the retina was observed in 65 cases (95.5%). In 3 eyes (4.4%), newly formed retinal tears prompted additional laser treatment: horseshoe tear in 2 eyes and retinal hole in 1 eye. The mean pain score during non-contact navigated laser retinopexy was 0.9±0.5. No complications associated with laser treatment were observed.

CONCLUSION

Non-contact navigated laser retinopexy performed with the Navilas 577s navigated laser system is a safe and well-tolerated procedure with effectiveness comparable to conventional laser retinopexy.

[Selective panretinal laser photocoagulation in ischemic central retinal vein occlusion]

PURPOSE

To compare the effectiveness and safety of panretinal laser photocoagulation targeting far-periphery (sPRP) versus conventional panretinal laser photocoagulation (cPRP) in patients with ischemic central retinal vein occlusion (iCRVO) in terms of the degree of macular edema.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included eight (5 males and 3 females, mean age 59.4±17.2 years) and seven (6 males and 1 female, mean age 75.7±9.1 years) patients in sPRP and cPRP groups, respectively. iCRVO was defined as a CRVO case with baseline best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of <0.2, central retinal thickness (CRT) of >500 µm and severe intraretinal hemorrhages. sPRP included dense photocoagulation of far-periphery over 360˚ and standard photocoagulation of the mid-periphery. Primary outcome measures were CRT and macular volume at the end of the follow-up. BCVA served as the secondary outcome measure.

RESULTS

The median of the follow-up period was 9.5 months (ranged from 1.5 to 19 months). In the sPRP group, at the end of the follow-up both CRT and macular volume significantly decreased from 892.0±149.4 µm to 391.8±131.2 µm (p<0.001) and from 16.6±4.1 mm³ to 9.7±1.4 mm³, respectively (p=0.008). In the cPRP group, at the end of the follow-up CRT and macular volume changes were statistically insignificant: from 761.0±162.1 µm to 705.0±181.8 µm (p=0.46) and from 13.6± 3.2 mm³ to 11.8±1.7 mm³, respectively (p=0.38). At the end of the follow-up, cPRP group did not have changes in BCVA, while in the sPRP group BCVA increased statistically significantly from 1.45±0.6 LogMAR (≈0.06) to 1.1±0.6 LogMAR (≈0.14) (p=0.03). There were no adverse events or complications associated with laser treatment in any of the study patients.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the superiority of sPRP compared with cPRP for treatment of patients with iCRVO, showing that selective laser treatment of the far-periphery results in significant reduction of macular edema associated with severe retinal ischemia.