Changes in Pupil Size Following Panretinal and Focal/Grid Retinal Photocoagulation: Automatic Infrared Pupillometry Study.

Purpose: To evaluate possible changes in pupil size subsequent to panretinal and focal/grid laser photocoagulation.
Methods: Sixty-four eyes of 64 participants were included. Thirty-two eyes with planned panretinal photocoagulation formed Group 1, and 32 eyes with planned focal retinal photocoagulation formed Group 2. The participants underwent full ophthalmologic examination at baseline. Automated infrared pupillometry was performed at baseline and month 1.
Results: The mean pupillary measurements (in millimeters) for Group 1 (in order photopic, mesopic, scotopic) were 3.09 ± 0.69 mm, 3.66 ± 0.85 mm, and 3.87 ± 1.01 mm and changed to 3.34 ± 0.74 mm, 3.82 ± 0.92 mm, and 4.03 ± 1.02 mm. There was a significant increase in pupil size at month 1 (P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.003). For Group 2, they were 2.65 ± 0.87 mm, 3.08 ± 1.08 mm, and 3.18 ± 1.19 mm and changed to 2.92 ± 0.72 mm, 3.45 ± 0.76 mm, and 3.57 ± 0.88 mm. There was no significant difference in pupil size at month 1 (P = 0.151, P = 0.106, P = 0.095).
Conclusion: We have demonstrated through automated infrared pupillary measurements that panretinal laser photocoagulation may significantly influence pupil size and focal/grid laser photocoagulation may not.