Contrast Sensitivity and Macular Thickness in Patients with Diabetic Macular Odema Following Grid Laser Photocoagulation

Aim: To assess the improvement in contrast sensitivity with Pelli Robson chart after grid laser. To quantify macular thickness by OCT. To assess the improvement in visual acuity with ETDRS chart after grid laser. Materials and methodology: This study was conducted at Department of Ophthalmology, Chalmeda Ananda Rao Institute Of Medical Sciences from June 2019 to June2020.100 Eyes of 50 patients fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. All patients were subjected to detailed systemic and ophthalmic evaluation. Relevant systemic investigations like FBS, PPBS, BP Sr. Cholesterol, Sr.creatinine, Complete Blood Picture were done. Inclusion Criteria: Patients with Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy with Clinically significant macular oedema (CSME), Visual acuity 6/24 or better. Exclusion Criteria: Pseudophakia, Age related macular degeneration, Glaucoma, Proliferative diabetic retinopathy, Post pan retinal photocoagulation, Ischemic maculopathy. Results: Out of 100 Eyes in 50 patients Post treatment all patients had macular thickness less than 350 microns. There was improvement in Contrast Sensitivityin 90 eyes in the treated eyes, whereas 10 eyes did not show any improvement. There are 66% showing 5 letters improvement, 20% showing 5 letters improvement, 4% showing 15 letters improvement after 12 weeks of grid laser. Conclusion: Contrast sensitivity is an important aspect of visual function and is even more important for ordinary daily tasks than visual acuity. Loss of Contrast sensitivity is more important and disturbing for the patient than is the loss of visual acuity Visual acuity was recorded by ETDRS chart due to the fallacies associated in Snellen chart. The Contrast sensitivity was recorded by Pelli Robson?s chart was sensitive and reproducible. Grid laser photocoagulation in CSME helps in improving the contrast sensitivity and stabilizes the visual acuity. The changes in contrast sensitivity and visual acuity are independent of each other.