Propranolol for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background And Objective: To determine the effect of propranolol on retinal neovascularization due to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Patients And Methods: For this prospective pilot, interventional, case series, patients with diabetes with PDR (n = 10 subjects; 12 eyes) were recruited at the ophthalmology clinic of the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Subjects were administered oral propranolol for 12 weeks and retinopathy and area of retinal neovascularization were monitored with fundus photography and fluorescein angiography (FA). The study's main outcome measures were photographic area of retinal neovascularization and degree of leakage on FA.

Results: All eyes demonstrated stable degrees of retinal neovascularization by the end of 12 weeks.

Conclusion: This dose of oral propranolol during a period of 12 weeks did not demonstrate significant effect on retinal neovascularization due to PDR. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:35-40.].