Changes in Choroidal Thickness and Volume in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy after Panretinal Photocoagulation by Using a Choroidal Thickness Map

Panretinal Photocoagulation (PRP) has been approved as an effective treatment for stopping retinal neovascularization in patients with severe diabetic retinopathy [1-3]. This treatment constitutes performing multiple laser photocoagulation sessions on the peripheral retina with the purpose of destroying photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium cells under the treated retina. While PRP damages photoreceptor and the retinal pigment epithelium layer, the inner retina remains relatively preserved, and PRP is used to prevent permanent severe visual loss [4-6]. Although PRP has been shown to reduce moderate vision loss by 50%, it can also induce macular edema and subsequently decrease vision [7-9].