Table 1.

Modified-ETDRS (mETDRS) and the Mild Macular Grid (MMG) Laser Photocoagulation Techniques

Burn Characteristic	Direct/Grid Photocoagulation (Modified-ETDRS technique)	Mild Macular Grid Photocoagulation Technique
Direct Treatment	Directly treat all leaking microaneurysms in areas of retinal thickening between 500 and3000 microns from the center of the macula (but not within 500 microns of disc)	Not applicable
Change in MA Color with Direct Treatment	Not required, but at least a mild gray-white burn should be evident beneath all microaneurysms	Not applicable
Burn Size for Direct Treatment	50 microns	Not applicable
Burn Duration for Direct Treatment	0.05 to 0.1 sec	Not applicable
Grid Treatment	Applied to all areas with diffuse leakage or nonperfusion within area described below for treatment	Applied to entire area described below for treatment (including unthickened retina)
Area Considered for Grid Treatment	500 to 3000 microns superiorly, nasally and inferiorly from center of macula 500 to 3500 microns temporally from macular center No burns are placed within 500 microns of disc	500 to 3000 microns superiorly, nasally and inferiorly from center of macula 500 to 3500 microns temporally from macular center No burns are placed within 500 microns of the disc
Burn Size for Grid Treatment	50 microns	50 microns
Burn Duration for Grid Treatment	0.05 to 0.1 sec	0.05 to 0.1 sec
Burn Intensity for Grid Treatment	Barely visible (light gray)	Barely visible (light gray)
Burn Separation for Grid Treatment	2 visible burn widths apart	200 to 300 total burns evenly distributed over the treatment area outlined above (approx. 2 to 3 burn widths apart)
Wavelength (Grid and Focal Treatment)	Green to yellow wavelengths	Green to yellow wavelengths