WHAT EFFECT DOES LASER PHOTOCOAGULATION HAVE ON DRIVING VISUAL-FIELDSIN DIABETICS

Although laser panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for proliferative dia betic retinopathy is known to cause peripheral field constriction, the risks of failing the UK driving field test following treatment are cu rrently unclear as the small number of previous studies have conflicti ng results, Following PRP using only argon laser with a 500 mu m spot size, both uniocular and binocular Esterman visual fields from 60 diab etic patients were assessed by the Chairman of the Visual Standards Su b-Committee of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Forty-two per ce nt of uniocular fields from treated eyes failed, Twelve per cent of bi nocular fields from those having bilateral PRP failed. Type II diabete s was associated with a significant increase in the risk of failure, A lthough there is a high risk of failure in any given treated eye, 88% of diabetics will pass a binocular field test, even if both eyes are t reated.