Panretinal photocoagulation and ganglion cell layer thickness
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of PanRetinal Photocoagulation (PRP) for Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) on ganglion cell layer thickness
IRAS ID
232851
Contact name
Vasant Raman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust Research and Development Team
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in working-aged individuals. Panretinal photocoagulation is standard treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
Laser photocoagulation involves applying light energy to the retina. The exact mechanisms by which Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) works remain unknown but it is thought that the changes that result from photocoagulation may improve the oxygen supply to the retina by elimination of a portion of the retina with poor blood supply, reducing the demand for oxygen.
However, PRP is not without side effects and it can cause permanent peripheral visual field loss which may be due to a number of mechanisms, including destruction of retinal cells from thermal damage. It is well known that in diseases like multiple sclerosis and glaucoma,characterized by visual field loss, thinning of retinal ganglion cells (GCL) correlates with the worsening of the visual fields defects. Therefore, it has been suggested that GCL could have a correlation with visual disturbance after PRP. However, information concerning the changes in ganglion cell layer after PRP is very limited.
Our aim is to assess the effect of PRP for PDR in GCL thickness. We will conduct a retrospective study to analyse Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scans (a tests that allows measurement of GCL thinckness) from anonymised patients that have undergone PRP for DR at the Royal Eye Infirmary from 2012 to 2015 that do not have other ophthalmological conditions that might affect the OCT scans.
GCL thickness will be measured from OCT scans perfomed before and after laser PRP that have been previously obtained as a part of the regular care of this patients.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0617
Date of REC Opinion
20 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion