Retinal Laser
What is Retinal Laser?
Retinal laser is very different to the laser treatment performed on the front of the eye (cornea) to change the focus and remove the need for glasses.
A precisely focussed beam of light passes through the front of the eye and focusses on the retina to treat various conditions. Low energy laser treatment may result in invisible or barely visible scars on the retina while higher power treatment is needed in other cases.
How is Retinal Laser performed?
Anaesthetic
In almost all cases eye drops alone provide sufficient anaesthesia. In some cases local (or rarely general) anaesthetic may be required.
Technique: Direct Laser
The most commonly used laser is performed in the clinic in an upright position on a microscope that is similar to the slit lamp used to examine the eyes during consultations. The eye is numbed with anaesthetic drops and a contact lens is placed on the eye during treatment.
Technique: Indirect Laser
To treat the very peripheral retina, indirect laser can be performed using a head-mounted laser while the patient is lying down. This can be performed in the clinic or in hospital.
Technique: Endolaser
Endolaser is performed during pars plana vitrectomy surgery. The laser probe enters the eye through one of the small ports during surgery.
Technique: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
A low energy laser is used to treat the retina after injection of verteporfin dye into an arm vein. Like direct laser, it is performed in the clinic in an upright position on a microscope that is similar to the slit lamp used to examine the eyes during consultations. The eye is numbed with anaesthetic drops and a contact lens is placed on the eye during treatment.
What conditions are treated with retinal laser?
Retinal laser may be used for various conditions and in the following ways:
- Focally using low energy to treat:
- Encircling or barrier laser:
- around retinal tears and occasionally retinal detachments
- Scatter laser:
- to treat a larger area of retina, for example due to damage to a large part of the retina from a branch retinal vein occlusion.
- Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) laser:
- to treat the entire peripheral retina which has reduced blood supply due to conditions such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy or ischemic central retinal vein occlusion.
- Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
- PDT is most often used to treat central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). It may also be used to treat some ocular tumours and other conditions.
Eye conditions we treat
Explore the range of eye conditions we can help manage and treat for better vision and eye health.