ANTERIOR-CHAMBER INFLAMMATION AFTER TRANSCONJUNCTIVAL CRYOSURGERY

Background: Inflammation caused by transconjunctival cryotherapy for p rophylactic retinal detachment surgery was measured in various conditi ons. Methods: Thirty-four eyes of 28 patients with peripheral retinal lesions predisposing to retinal detachment were studied by laser flare cell meter before and after treatment. Results: The mean flare value for 34 eyes was 4.06 +/- 1.45 photon counts/ms before surgery and 5.72 +/- 2.52 pc/ms after surgery (p < 0.05). Flare value was elevated at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after treatment, peaking at 2 weeks (p < 0.05), and normal again at 4 weeks. There were no significant differences in flar e increase between eyes with and without retinal breaks, eyes with and without limited retinal detachment, eyes with myopia more and less th an -8.0 D, and eyes with a treatment area limited to one quadrant and extending over more than one quadrant. Conclusion: Transconjunctival c ryosurgery caused mild inflammation in the anterior chamber of the eye for 3 weeks. The inflammation was not affected by the presence of ret inal break or limited retinal detachment, the degree of myopia, or the extent of the treatment area.