SUBCLASSIFICATION OF PREPROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC-RETINOPATHY

One hundred and fifty-five eyes (106 cases) affected by preproliferati ve diabetic retinopathy were divided into three subgroups according to the severity of retinopathy and were followed for one year. The crite ria for and numbers of eyes in each group were as follows: 1) mild typ e with soft exudates and without apparent nonperfused areas on fluores cein angiography (39 eyes), 2) moderate type with soft exudates and de monstrable nonperfused areas (103 eyes), 3) severe type with soft exud ates, nonperfused areas and venous beading (13 eyes). The proportion u ndergoing photocoagulation was 23% in the mild type, 81% in the modera te type and 100% in the severe type. None of the mild type eyes underw ent photocoagulation unless they advanced to a more severe type. Nine of the mild type eyes which progressed to moderate type during the fol low-up period underwent focal photocoagulation. Panretinal photocoagul ation was performed in 29% of moderate type eyes and 77% of severe typ e eyes. The courses of these three subgroups were analyzed after one y ear of follow-up. The proportion developing proliferative retinopathy was 0% in the mild type, 18% in the moderate type and 46% in the sever e type. Based on the above results, it was concluded that the subclass ification we proposed in this paper can be applied to the management o f patients with preproliferative diabetic retinopathy.