AIM:To explore laser photocoagulation with cataract surgery for improvement of visual acuity and macular edema in patients with cataract and diabetic macular edema.

METHODS:A total of 60 patients(72 eyes)from January 2014 to July 2015 in our hospital were selected, which all were diagnosed as cataract with diabetic macular edema. According to a random number table method, the patients were divided into observation group and control group, 30 cases(36 eyes)in each group. The observation group was treated with combination therapy of laser photocoagulation before cataract surgeries, while the control group with the combination therapy of laser photocoagulation after cataract surgeries. At 2mo after surgeries, some routine examination, such as visual acuity, fundus examination after mydriasis, slit lamp examination, optical coherence tomography(OCT)examination, fluorescence angiography examination(FFA)for retinal blood vessels were applied in all the patients.

RESULTS:The visual acuity of the observation group and the control group before treatments was not significantly different(P>0.05). At 2mo after treatments, the visual inspection showed that compared with the visual acuity before treatment, the visual acuity of the two groups were both significantly improved(P<0.05); besides, the visual acuity of the observation group was significantly better than that of the control group after treatments, the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The macular thickness of the observation group and the control group before treatments was not significantly different(P>0.05). At 2mo after treatments, compared with those before treatments, the macular thickness of two groups were both significantly improved(P<0.05); besides, the macular thickness of the observation group was significantly better than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:The laser photocoagulation before cataract surgery for patients with cataract and diabetic macular edema can significantly improve their visual acuity and macular thickness.