AIM: To discuss the effect of laser exposure on visual acuity and macula.

METHODS: Retrospective and consecutive case series. A retrospective analysis of 11 patients(11 eyes)with laser retinal injury was carried out from January 2014 to June 2015 in Ophthalmology Department of No. 474 Hospital of Chinese PLA. All individuals underwent visual acuity, best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)for macular at first visit, and fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), visual field, and multifocal electroretinogram(mf ERG)were perform if necessary. Symptomatic therapies, supportive therapies and pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)were performed depended on the patient's condition. The patients were followed-up at 1, 3 and 6mo after the first visit, and patients were undertaken visual acuity, BCVA, macular SD-OCT and so on.

RESULTS: Eight patients(73%)were under 18 years old and all patients were young males, who were injured by laser pointers when playing. Three patients(27%)over 18 years old were injured accidentally at work. Ten(91%)patients' BCVA were ≤0.3, while one(9%)patient's BCVA was higher ≥0.3. Full-thickness macular holes(the diameter 224-519 μm)were detected in 10 patients(91%), while sub-foveal RPE changes and IS/OS injury in 1 patient(9%). Macular hole with traction or cystoid edema in 6 eyes(55%)were received PPV, while the other 5 eyes(4 eyes with stable macular hole and 1 eyes with RPE injury)received conservative treatment. Macular hole closed successfully in 1 eye(17%)after PPV, while macular hole in the other 5 eyes(83%)were stable after PPV of which the cystoid edema faded. The 4 patients with macular hole and 1 patient with RPE injury were stable during follow-up period. However, the BCVA in all patients had no significant improvement at end.

CONCLUSION: Exposure to laser devices could lead to severe macula injury that could reduce central vision, which is permanent.