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Longitudinal changes in each retinal layer thickness in diabetic retinopathy patients treated with pan-retinal photocoagulation

Eye volume 40, pages 376–382 (2026)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives

To identify longitudinal changes in each retinal layer thickness in diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients who underwent pan-retinal photocoagulation (PRP).

Subjects/Methods

The subjects were divided into three groups: type 2 diabetes patients without DR (DM group), those with DR (DR group), and those who underwent PRP ≥ 6 months earlier (PRP group). Following the baseline visit, patients underwent three additional assessments at 1-year intervals.

Results

In total, 297 eyes were included: 87, 124, and 76 in the DM, DR, and PRP groups, respectively. The baseline ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness was 110.4 ± 13.4, 112.5 ± 13.2, and 116.1 ± 17.6 μm in the DM, DR, and PRP groups, respectively (P = 0.047). The baseline thickness of inner nuclear layer (P = 0.026) and outer plexiform layer (P = 0.002) differed significantly, which was significantly thicker in the PRP group. The photoreceptor layer and retinal pigment epithelium thicknesses differed significantly among the groups (both P < 0.001), and those in the PRP group were significantly thinner than in the other groups. In the PRP group, there were significant decreases in GCC and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness over time, while the other layers did not change significantly. The GCC (estimate = −0.15, P = 0.012) and ONL (estimate = −0.16, P = 0.019) thicknesses were significantly associated with changes in best-corrected visual acuity.

Conclusions

The thickness of each retinal layer of patients who underwent PRP changed differently over time, and these changes were significantly associated with changes in visual acuity.

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Fig. 1: Longitudinal changes in best-corrected visual acuity and retinal layer thickness in diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy, with diabetic retinopathy, and after pan-retinal photocoagulation.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This work was supported by Chungnam National University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, Republic of Korea

    Jae-Yun Sung

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea

    Jung-Tae Kim & Min-Woo Lee

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  1. Jae-Yun Sung
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  2. Jung-Tae Kim
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Contributions

Contributions to Authors in each of these areas Design and conduct of the study (MWL); Collection of data (MWL and JTK); Analysis and interpretation of data (MWL, JTK, and JYS); Writing the article (MWL, JTK, and JYS); Critical revision of the article (MWL, JTK, and JYS); Final approval of the article (MWL, JTK, and JYS).

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Correspondence to Min-Woo Lee.

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Sung, JY., Kim, JT. & Lee, MW. Longitudinal changes in each retinal layer thickness in diabetic retinopathy patients treated with pan-retinal photocoagulation. Eye 40, 376–382 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-025-04173-7

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