AIM: To investigate the clinical efficacy and benefit of short-pulse pattern scan laser(PASCAL)photocoagulation for proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR).

METHODS:Twenty-eight PDR patients(42 eyes)underwent short-pulse PASCAL pan-retinal photocoagulation(PRP)were analyzed.The best corrected visual acuity was ≥0.1 in 36 eyes, <0.1 in 6 eyes. Diabetic macular edema(DME)was found in 11 eyes.Short-pulse PASCAL PRP was performed and completed in one time. Macular edema was treated by single spot and/or PASCAL macular mode.Visual acuity, fundus examinations, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), optical coherence tomography(OCT)and visual field were analyzed at the one-year follow-up period.

RESULTS: All the cases had no pain during the short-pulse PASCAL treatment.One year after treatments,the final visual acuity was improved in 6 eyes,kept stable in 28 eyes and decreased in 8 eyes; neovascularization were regressed in 18 eyes(43%), stable in 12 eyes(29%), uncontrolled in 12 eyes(29%). Five eyes(12%)received vitrectomy due to vitreous hemorrhage.Compared with before operation, retina thickness in central fovea of macula and visual field had no obvious change after one-time PASCAL PRP(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION:The one-time short-pulse PASCAL PRP could stabilize the progress of PDR safely, effectively and simply.