Changes in Choroidal Thickness after Panretinal Photocoagulation in Diabetic Retinopathy Patients

Purpose: To investigate the changes in choroidal thickness in diabetic retinopathy patients after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). Methods: This retrospective study included 42 eyes of treatment-naive, severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy or proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients undergoing 3-session PRP. At baseline and 1 and 2 months after completion of the PRP treatments, subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. Results: The mean SFCT at baseline was 261.52 +/- 77.98 mu m, changing to 249.14 +/- 72.23 mu m and 242.95 +/- 70.28 mu m at 1 and 2 months, respectively (p < 0.05). The mean central macular thickness (CMT) was increased (> 10%) in 9 eyes (21.43%) at 1 month and 8 eyes (19.05%) at 2 months after PRP. The mean SFCT showed no significant difference between increased mean CMT (238.22 +/- 57.59 mu m and 240.00 +/- 67.71 mu m at 1 and 2 months, respectively) and stable mean CMT groups (252.12 +/- 76.24 mu m and 243.65 +/- 71.84 mu m at 1 and 2 months, respectively; p > 0.05). Conclusions: Choroidal thickness decreased after PRP. There was no significant relationship between change in SFCT and CMT after PRP.