AIM: To study the effect of panretinal photocoagulation(PRP)combined with calcium dobesilate on fundus microcirculation and the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)in patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR).

METHODS: Totally 166 cases of DR patients in the Department of Ophthalmology of our hospital in October 2015 to October 2017 were selected. According to the random number table method, 166 cases were divided into the control group(Group A)and the study group(Group B), with 83 cases in each group. Group A was treated with PRP, and Group B was given calcium dobesilate on the basis of Group A. Observation and comparison between the two groups on clinical curative effect, postoperative complication rate and the changes of best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), blood rheology index \〖hematocrit(Hct), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), deformation of erythrocyte(DE), plasma viscosity(PV), aggregation of erythrocyte(AE)\〗 and the changes of hemodynamic indexes \〖resistance index(RI), end diastolic velocity(EDV), peak systole velocity(PSV)of central retinal artery(CRA)\〗 before and after treatment. Besides, the RNFL thickness of the optic disc, the nasal side, the inferior and the superior side, and the average RNFL thickness of the optic disc center were observed and compared.

RESULTS: After treatment, BCVA in both groups decreased significantly compared with that before treatment(P<0.05), and there was no significant change between Group A and B(P>0.05), and the effective rate in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group A(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications and the rate of loss of visits in the two groups of A and B(P>0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the EDV and PSV values of two groups increased after treatment(P<0.05), and RI value decreased(P<0.05). After treatment, the EDV and PSV values of CRA in Group B were significantly higher than those in Group A(P<0.05), and the values of RI and Hct, ESR, PV, DE and AE were significantly lower than those of Group A(P<0.05). After treatment, the average, inferior and superior RNFL of the two groups were all thinner than those before the treatment(P<0.05). The decrease of average, inferior, superior and nasal RNFL of Group A was more than those in the Group B(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Retinal photocoagulation combined with calcium dobesilate in the treatment of DR is effective and safe. It can effectively improve the fundus microcirculation and reduce the damage of PRP to DR patients' visual acuity and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.