MANAGEMENT OF MODERATE TO ADVANCED COATS-DISEASE

Sixteen patients (16 eyes) with Coats' disease who had either total bu llous exudative retinal detachment or macular involvement and/or at le ast two quadrants of exudative retinal detachment were followed for a mean period of 60.6 months. Three patients with no light perception re ceived no treatment. Ten eyes received cryotherapy on one or more occa sions and two had laser photocoagulation. One eye underwent subretinal fluid drainage, intraocular infusion and cryotherapy. In those patien ts who could be tested, all the treated eyes retained their initial vi sual acuities, All 16 eyes had an acceptable cosmesis and none progres sed to painful neovascular glaucoma or phthisis bulbi. Patients with l ate onset disease had a more benign course.