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.