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Photocoagulator uses higher power, lower energy than conventional laser
Indian J Ophthalmol. 2011;59(2):87-91.
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A short-duration laser photocoagulator requires more power but less energy than conventional lasers, a study said.
The retrospective study included 752 Caucasian eyes that underwent a total of 1,242 laser procedures with the Pascal photocoagulator (OptiMedica).
Of the procedures, 374 were focal and/or grid photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema, 666 were panretinal photocoagulation for proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 202 were barrage photocoagulation for retinal tears and holes.
The median power parameters were 190 mW in the focal and/or grid photocoagulation group, 800 mW in the panretinal photocoagulation group and 450 mW in the barrage photocoagulation group, the study said.
A subgroup comparison of similar spot size found that a decrease in treatment duration resulted in an increase in required power.
No complications were reported in the focal and/or grid photocoagulation and barrage photocoagulation groups. The three retinal hemorrhages and two choroidal detachments in the panretinal photocoagulation group resolved over time without significant intervention.
"The consequent lesser heat dissipation, especially lateral, can allow one to use relatively larger spot sizes and give more closely spaced burns, without incurring significant side effects," the authors said.