In vivo early retinal structural alterations following laser photocoagulation using three-dimensional spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

To study the retinal structural alterations and surface topography of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) immediately following laser photocoagulation up to day 7. Cross-sectional retinal imaging and RPE segmentation maps on spectral domain optical coherence tomography were obtained immediately at hour 1, day 1, day 4 and day 7 following 532 nm neodymium:YAG laser photocoagulation in a 56-year-old male patient for branch retinal vein occlusion. Immediately postlaser, loss of reflectivity of all the retinal layers was observed. At hour 1, hyper-reflectivity of outer retinal layers was observed with increase in hyporeflective spaces by day 1. Immediately postlaser, pitting of the RPE was observed on surface topography which regressed at day 1. On day 4, smooth RPE surface topography was observed with the occurrence of small elevated areas on day 7. The present report provides an insight into the in vivo changes in the retinal structure and RPE surface topography after laser photocoagulation. 2016 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.