Also called laser treatment, photocoagulation is a group of procedures used to slow the progression of an eye condition called diabetic retinopathy. There are two types of photocoagulation:

• Focal photocoagulation is used to treat macular edema, a type of swelling in the center of the retina.
  
  
• Pan-retinal (scatter) photocoagulation (PRP) is used to treat advanced (proliferative) retinopathy.

Both types of photocoagulation are performed by an ophthalmologist. They both rely on a laser (an amplified beam of light) to make tiny burns on the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that relays information to the brain. These small burns seal the retina’s blood vessels to prohibit further growth (in PRP) and leaking (in macular edema) caused by retinopathy.

Although photocoagulation is the primary treatment for diabetic retinopathy, not all cases require the procedure. Patients should consult their ophthalmologist to determine if this procedure is right for them. Photocoagulation is also used to treat age-related macular degeneration (a condition in which the macula, the part of the retina responsible for fine vision, deteriorates over time).

Photocoagulation is an outpatient procedure, which means that hospitalization is not necessary. Patients should arrange transportation home from their ophthalmologist’s office or outpatient surgery center because vision may be impaired after the procedure. They should also bring sunglasses to protect their eyes from bright light, as the pupils will be dilated with drops.

Some patients may experience some permanent vision loss after photocoagulation, and severe vision loss may occur in rare cases. Bleeding of the eye area may also occur but should resolve over time.

Although photocoagulation is not intended to cure diabetic retinopathy, it is successful in preventing severe vision loss (20/200 or worse) in about 90 percent of cases, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.