Laser photocoagulastion for proliferative retinopathy in sickle haemoglobin C disease

The effect of sectoral, scatter laser photocoagulation on proliferative sickle retinopathy (PSR) was investigated by reviewing fluorescein angiograms of 88 sickle cell-haemoglobin C patients enrolled in a controlled, randomised trial. Follow-up was for a median period of 2.9 years. Complete infarction of all PSR in an eye occurred in 7 of 74 treated eyes and 2 of 60 control eyes. Treatment resulted in significantly greater regression (decrease in number or size of PSR lesions) in eyes of patients aged <25 years at enrolment but not in eyes of patients 25 years at enrolment. Infarction of individual PSR lesions was significantly more common in treated eyes. Treated PSR was significantly more likely to infarct if small (<15° circumferential involvement) and if flat rather than elevated. New PSR was significantly less likely to develop in treated eye