EFFECTS OF SUB-TENON STERIOD IN PAN RETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION IN DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Objective: The study is focused on the analysis of visual consequences in patients who suffer from diabetic retinopathy. The patients involved were treated using pan retinal photocoagulation with or without sub-Tenon triamcinolone acetonide. Patients and Methods: The subjects were divided into two groups based on the treatment i.e. sub-tenon triamcinolone with pan retinal photocoagulation (Group 1) and pan retinal photocoagulation alone (Group 2). The cases were randomly distributed among both the groups. Change in visual acuity was considered to be the only major variable factor in this study. Visual acuity was checked after two months from the treatment and difference was measured from the standard readings. Results: The patients treated with a combination of sub-tenon triamcinolone and pan retinal photocoagulation showed improvement in visual acuity much greater than the patients who were treated with pan retinal photocoagulation only. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.005). 73% of patients in Group 1 were having improved visual acuity as compared to only 6.6% of patients in Group 2. Conclusion: Sub-Tenon triamcinolone acetonide injection has proved to be an outstanding treatment in the deterrence of pan retinal photocoagulation. The visual acuity has improved much with the dose of the said injection and the visual loss caused by macular edema is minimized. Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy, sub-Tenon triamcinolone acetonide injection, Visual acuity.