SCLERAL DAMAGE - COMPARISON OF STANDARD AND MODIFIED DIATHERMY ELECTRODES

Full-thickness scleral diathermy using a standard electrode causes sig nificant scleral damage and necrosis. Use of a modified (Jabbour's) di athermy electrode appears to cause minimal scleral damage. We evaluate d the scleral changes following transscleral diathermy application usi ng standard and modified diathermy electrodes to the peripheral retina and ciliary body. Twelve Dutch belted pigment rabbits were used in ou r experiment. Three eyes each were subjected to transscleral diathermy using standard and modified electrodes to produce chorioretinal scars and cyclodestruction. Eyes were examined with the slit lamp and indir ect ophthalmoscope at weekly intervals for 4 weeks. Light and transmis sion electron microscopy was performed 1 hour after diathermy applicat ion in 4 animals and in the remaining 8 animals at 4 weeks. Chorioreti nal scarring and ciliary body atrophy were successfully induced with b oth types of electrodes. However, scleral damage was less severe in ey es treated with the modified electrode as compared with the standard e lectrode.