[Effect of laser therapy in diabetic retinopathy on the hemodynamics of retinal vessels].

Changes in retinal hemodynamics are a factor of major influence in diabetic retinopathy. With the aid of videoangiography, the changes in retinal circulation times before and after therapeutic laser coagulation were examined in a prospective study. A marked diminution of all circulation times was observed after laser coagulation procedures: the arterial circulation time decreased from 1.02 s to 0.74 s average, the early venous circulation time from 5.18 s to 3.50 s average, and the late venous circulation time from 9.07 s to 8.16 s. Laser coagulation has a more significant influence on the capillary circulation of the retina than on the venous phase. In diabetic retinopathy, the improvement in pathologic hemodynamic situations in the retina may be a very important mechanism of action in laser coagulation therapy.