DIABETIC IRIS NEOVASCULARIZATION - NATURAL-HISTORY AND TREATMENT

Purpose: To study the spontaneous progression from iris neovasculariza tion to neovascular glaucoma, factors that determine how long it takes and the efficacy of therapy, we studied 81 eyes belonging to 67 diabe tic patients. Methods: The eyes mere divided into three groups: contro l group (29 eyes, 26 patients), photocoagulation group (37 eyes, 30 pa tients) and cryotherapy group (15 eyes, 11 patients). The controls wer e observed for at least 12 months, and the treated group over at least the following 3 months. Results: At the end of the follow-up period 1 2 of the 29 control group eyes (41.4%) had developed neovascular glauc oma and 6 (20.5%) increased neovascularization. Seven eyes (58%) that developed glaucoma did so within 3 months. There was no significant di fference between the laser therapy (improvement: 84%) and cryotherapy group (80.5%). Conclusions: At the end of the 12-month follow-up perio d progression from iris neovascularization to neovascular glaucoma is very frequent. There was no difference between laser therapy and cryot herapy.