AIM: To study the panretinal photocoagulation on severe peripapillary RNFL thickness NPDR and early PDR patients.

METHODS: Fifty-six cases were diagnosed as diabetic eye disease in our hospital from Jan.2014 to Dec.2015. According to the actual condition, the patients were divided into early PDR group and severe NPDR group. The two groups were given the whole retinal photocoagulation.

RESULTS: The upper part of the severe NPDR group was(114.26±18.26)μm, which significantly higher than that of postoperative(105.55±11.73)μm(t=2.085, P=0.042). The lower part was(118.85±20.16)μm, which significantly higher than that of(107.37±16.38)μm(t=2.296, P=0.026). Preoperative nasal side, the temporal side was slightly higher than the postoperative, but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05). The average thickness was(90.16±14.81)μm, which significantly lower than that of(99.85±17.28)μm(t=2.212, P=0.031). The upper part of the PDR group was significantly lower than that before operation, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.01). At the nasal side, the temporal side was slightly lower than the preoperative, the difference between two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05). The average thickness was(87.58±16.08)μm, which significantly lower than that before operation(97.17±13.46)μm(t=2.463, P=0.017). There was no significant difference in the average thickness of the temporal and the early PDR group(P>0.05)in the upper and lower sides of the severe group NPDR after 6mo. The nasal side of severe NPDR group was(66.29±9.36)μm, which significantly higher than that in early PDR group(59.88±11.71)μm, and the difference was statistically significant(t=2.252, P=0.028).

CONCLUSION: Laser photocoagulation has a significant influence on the thickness and the average thickness of the upper and lower quadrant of the retina, which leads to the thinning of retinal RNFL, and the clinical attention should be paid to the injury of retinal nerve cells.