What Is Panretinal Photocoagulation (PRP)?

Panretinal photocoagulation, referred to as PRP, is a minimally invasive laser eye surgery used to treat disorders that affect your retina. By the time you reach age 40, you may have already developed retinal problems, which PRP adequately addresses. It’s estimated that about 64 percent of Americans suffer from at least one form of eye condition that causes problems with the vision.

According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 21 percent of those over the age of 40 suffer retinal disorders. A problem with a retina threatens the vision in that eye, as you can’t see without a functioning retina. Protect your eyesight with regular checkups with an eye specialist.

When performed by experienced ophthalmologists, regular dilated eye examinations catches eye and vision problems before they become serious. That’s when early intervention is most successful. Consulting the best laser eye surgery doctors, like those at Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York (VRMNY) ensures the continuous health of your eyes. Conveniently located in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Westchester, These expert eye doctors offer 24-hour on-call support, with most sessions lasting less than an hour.

Why Do I Need a Panretinal Photocoagulation Laser Treatment?

PRP treats problems associated with retinal ischemia. This condition affects the input and output of the blood flow of the retina. You usually get this problem due to another retinal condition, such as central retina vein occlusion, branch artery or vein occlusions. If you delay getting the laser eye surgery, you may face more severe consequences, such as:

• Losing your eyesight because of the bleeding inside your eyeball
• A detached retina, which requires retinal detachment repair
• Pain in your iris, which is the colored part of the eye, due to the abnormal blood vessels
• Pain in your eye if its drainage system becomes blocked, which also raises the intraocular pressure, another dangerous condition that can lead to glaucoma

Your NYC eye doctor may also recommend PRP if you have retinal neovascularization. This condition causes an explosion of new abnormal blood vessels on the retina. The blood vessels cause the retina to swell, and blood vessels leak plasma into the surrounding tissues, leading to a dangerous condition called vitreous hemorrhage. In some cases, you may need vitrectomy to correct the problem.

How Does Diabetes Affect My Retina?

Diabetes causes high blood sugar levels. If they aren’t controlled, the pressure may build up within the blood vessels of your retina. This eventually leads to retinal damage and possibly even the loss of your vision. If you have diabetes, inform your laser eye doctor. Diabetes retinopathy is a serious ocular condition that shows up in different forms, such as:

• Macular edema, which causes swelling in the central part of the retina because of leaky blood vessels, which is the leading cause of decreased vision
• Macular ischemia, which can cause irreversible vision loss since it affects the tiny blood vessels of the macula, the part of the retina responsible for clear vision
• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy, when there’s a blockage in the natural blood supply to the retina, which results in the formation of new abnormal vessels that leak, damaging the surrounding tissues and potentially causing complete blindness if the condition isn’t treated

Laser surgeries like panretinal photocoagulation are the standard treatment for people suffering from diabetes retinopathy. Studies have shown that PRP decreases the risk of severe vision loss for damaged eyes 50 percent of the time. Routine eye checkups are the best way to catch this serious condition and prevent major vision loss.

How Does Panretinal Photocoagulation Work?

Problems associated with the blood vessels carrying oxygen are the main reason for developing ocular disorders. As the demand for oxygen increases, the retina produces more blood vessels, but these may function abnormally. PRP makes thermal burns on the outer side of the retina using a mild to moderate laser beam to create a gray spot.

The PRP beam delivers about 1200 to 1500 burns in a minuscule diameter, which is enough to reduce the oxygen-needing photoreceptors in the retina. This slows down the production of the abnormal blood vessels in the retina. The thermal burns also shrink the blood vessels and encourage scarring.

For this treatment, you need to visit the office of the best laser eye doctor in NYC. The procedure can take from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the severity of your condition. The procedure is painless and typically includes:

• A numbing medicine or an anesthetic injection
• An eyelid holder used to keep your eyes from blinking
• A laser beam directed into the compromised eye, which you may see as flashes of light
• No discomfort other than feeling a slight sting

What Can I Expect After My Laser Eye Surgery?

Your vision may stay hazy for 24 to 48 hours after your PRP treatment. You may even feel a dull ache in your treated eye. Under your doctor’s advice, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to reduce the temporary discomfort, which fades within the first day or two after your procedure.

The one thing you have to adhere to strictly are the checkups, as your eye doctor wants to make sure you’re healing properly. The top-notch ophthalmologists from VRMNY are always available for consultation at one of their three convenient locations in New York City. Contact the top retina doctors and experts to set up an appointment for a checkup or to get a firm diagnosis of your eye issues and the most effective treatment.