Comparison of pain experience and time required for pre-planned navigated peripheral laser versus conventional multispot laser in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy

Purpose To compare the pain and the duration of a panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) session using a conventional multispot laser (Quantel Medical) versus the Navilas(R) laser. Methods Treatment-naive patients requiring bilateral PRP for diabetic retinopathy were included. For each patient, PRP was carried out using a conventional multispot laser (Quantel Medical, 577 nm) in one eye and the other eye was treated with the Navilas laser (OD-OS, 577 nm). For both PRP treatments, similar parameters (same power, exposure time, number, size and spacing of the spots) were used. For each eye, the duration of the session and the pain, measured using respectively a chronometer and a visual analogic scale (VAS), were recorded. Results Thirty-two eyes of sixteen patients (mean age 57 +/- 13 SD, range 28-74), 11 men and 5 women, have been included. A mean of 1289 (1000-1500) spots with a mean power of 352 mW (300-450 mW) and an exposure time of 27 ms (20-30 ms) were delivered. The PRP session with the Navilas laser (mean time of 5.2 +/- 0.8 min) was faster than with the conventional multispot laser (6.6 +/- 1.1 min) (p = 0.02). Laser-induced pain was significantly reduced (VAS of 2.4 +/- 1.6) using the Navilas laser compared to conventional laser (VAS: 7.1 +/- 2) (p < 0.001). Conclusion The PRP sessions using the Navilas laser were significantly faster and less painful than with a conventional multispot laser in our series.