REFRACTIVE OUTCOME FOLLOWING DIODE-LASER VERSUS CRYOTHERAPY FOR EYES WITH RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

The refractive error in 15 eyes with threshold retinopathy of prematur ity treated with diode laser photocoagulation was compared with 25 eye s with the same disease severity treated by cryotherapy. Myopia was pr esent in 40% (six eyes) of the first group ranging from -1.50 to -3.50 dioptres, while 92% (23 eyes) showed myopia which ranged from -0.50 t o -8.00 dioptres in the cryotherapy group. Sixty per cent (nine eyes) were hypermetropic at less than +3.0 dioptres in the laser group, whil e only 8% (two eyes) of the cryotherapy group showed hypermetropia. Th ere was no significant difference in astigmatism between the two group s. Eyes with threshold disease treated with diode laser photocoagulati on developed significantly less myopia than those treated with cryothe rapy (p=0.0006, two tailed value).