Ruby Laser Photocoagulation of Early Diabetic Neovascular Retinopathy

Abstract

Between February 1967 and April 1969, 329 patients with various degrees of diabetic proliferating retinopathy have been treated by a circumferential ruby laser photocoagulation technique. Of these, 178 patients represent controls in which both eyes have equal degree of neovascular retinal disease in each eye on the basis of funduscopy, photography, and fluorescein angiography. One eye is treated, the opposite serving as a control. Seventy-two of these control patients had early neovascular retinopathy, have one or more years of follow-up, and are presented herein as a preliminary report of a detailed ongoing control study. Eighty percent of treated eyes have shown a definite improvement to a lesser stage of neovascular retinopathy. Fifty-four percent have had complete disappearance of neovascularization. All untreated controls have remained unchanged or have worsened.