DIODE-LASER CONTACT TRANSSCLERAL RETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION - A CLINICAL-STUDY

Aim-To examine the clinical efficacy of contact transscleral retinal p hotocoagulation with a diode laser. Methods-Transscleral retinal photo coagulation was performed on 36 eyes. The conditions treated included peripheral retinal breaks associated with retinal detachments (30 eyes ) and giant retinal tears (six eyes). Of the 30 eyes with retinal deta chments, 28 underwent transscleral photocoagulation to the site of dra inage of subretinal fluid in an attempt to reduce the risk of haemorrh age. Results-Threshold lesions were obtained with irradiances of betwe en 95.4 W/cm(2) and 191 W/cm(2). Satisfactory chorioretinal adhesion w as achieved in all eyes with retinal breaks and giant retinal tears. T he only significant complications of treatment encountered were puncta te choroidal haemorrhages (three eyes). Drainage related choroidal hae morrhage following earlier photocoagulation occurred in two of 28 eyes . Conclusions-This study confirms the clinical potential of transscler al diode laser photocoagulation in the therapy of surgical retinal con ditions.