A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF THERMAL CAUTERY AND ARGON-LASER FOR PERMANENT PUNCTAL OCCLUSION

Permanent punctal occlusion was performed by two techniques on 27 pati ents (73 puncta). Patients were randomly assigned to be treated with e ither thermal cautery or argon laser for keratitis sicca. Follow-up as sessment disclosed that the puncta to which thermal cautery was applie d remained closed significantly longer than those to which laser treat ment was applied (P < .05, log-rank test). Using time to recanalizatio n of a punctum as the end point, we found a long-term advantage of the rmal cautery over argon laser treatment.