Effect of laser wavelength on delivering effective burns through opaque lens using pattern scan laser
Reviewed by Bheemanagouda Patil

Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) has been used in the treatment of various retinal disorders for many decades. Conventional single-spot lasers take quite some time to do with significantly higher pain, anxiety and photophobia when compared to the pattern scan laser (PSL). It has been shown in previous studies that conventional single spot laser with longer wavelength, such as red (647nm) and yellow (568nm), showed better efficacy in delivering laser burns when compared to green argon (514nm) laser. This study evaluates the effects of pattern scan laser wavelength in delivering appropriate laser burns to mice retina through an opaque lens. Three eyes with clear lenses were used as controls. With the green laser, there were only 3.0±2.0 appropriate laser burns in eyes with opaque lens compared to 13.7±4.0 effective burns in eyes with clear lens. On the other hand, longer wavelength lasers produced 18±5.2 (yellow) and 13±1.5 (red) appropriate laser burns in eyes with opaque lens. The study concluded that pattern scan lasers with longer wavelengths produced more effective laser burns when compared to pattern scan green laser.

Effect of laser wavelength on delivering appropriate laser burns through the opaque lens using a pattern scan laser.
Hirano T, Lesato Y, Imai A, et al.
OPHTHALMIC RESEARCH
2014;51(4):204-9.