Efficacy of diode laser for managing diabetic macular oedema.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of photocoagulation for diabetic macular oedema using Diode laser in a prospective randomized fashion and comparing its effects with the Argon green laser.

METHODS

40 eyes with focal and diffuse oedema were randomly treated with Diode and 40 eyes were treated with Argon green. Following investigations were performed: visual acuity, fundus evaluation, flourescein angiography and visual fields.

RESULTS

79% treated with Diode had partial to complete regression of oedema and so also 82% with Argon green at six months post laser.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no difference in improvement or worsening of visual acuity between the two lasers. This study is of importance as it has been the first prospective randomized study of its kind using Diode laser in diabetic macular oedema.