The Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS), a randomized, controlled clinical trial designed to determine whether photocoagulation is of benefit in preserving vision in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), involved more than 1,700 patients with PDR in at least one eye or severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) in both eyes. One eye of each patient was randomly assigned to immediate photocoagulation and the other to follow-up without treatment regardless of the course followed by either eye. The eye chosen for photocoagulation was randomly assigned to either of two treatment techniques, one using an argon laser and the other a xenon arc photocoagulator. Patients were followed at four-month intervals according to a protocol that provided for measurement of best corrected visual acuity.
Both argon and xenon photocoagulation were found to reduce the risk of severe visual loss by more than 5%. The study concluded that photocoagulation definitely reduced the risk of severe vision loss compared with no treatment and identified a stage of retinopathy, termed high-risk PDR, in which the benefits of photocoagulation definitely outweighed the risks.
Selected Publications
The Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group. Indications for photocoagulation treatment of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic Retinopathy Study Report Number 14. Invest Ophthalmol Clin 1994;27:239-253.
Kaufman SC, Ferris FL, Siegel DG, et al. Factors associated with visual outcome after photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS) Report Number 13. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1989;30:23-28.
Ferris FL, Podgor MJ, Davis MD. Macular edema in Diabetic Retinopathy Study patients. Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS) Report Number 12. Ophthalmol 1987;94:754-760.
Kaufman SC, Ferris FL, Swartz M. Intraocular pressure following panretinal photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS) Report Number 11. Arch Ophthalmol 1987;97:807-809.
Rand LI, Prud'homme GJ, Ederer F, et al. Factors influencing the development of visual loss in advanced diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS) Report Number 10. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1985;26:983-991.
Ferris FL III, Davis MD, Aiello LM. Treatment of diabetic retinopathy. N Engl J Med 1999;341:667-678.
Click on the highlighted citations for summaries of studies
The Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study
Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group
Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group
Diabetic Retinopathy Vitrectomy Study Research Group
UK Prospective Diabetes Study
This web resource is made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Eli Lilly and Company.
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