LONG-TERM RESULTS OF PERIPHERAL RETINAL C RYOTHERAPY

Peripheral retinal cryotherapy alone, without additional cyclocryother apy,can for the short term lead to intraocular pressure reduction and regression of neovascularization. As there is little information conce rning the long-term results of this treatment we reexamined all patien ts treated with peripheral retinal cryotherapy at the Department of Op hthalmology at Freiburg University between 1979 and 1990. Patients and methods: Neovascularization was secondary to proliferative diabetic r etinopathy in 33 eyes (65%), secondary to retinal vascular occlusion i n 13 eyes (25%),and secondary to a combination of both in 5 eyes (10%) . Usually, 2 quadrants of each eye were treated with 9 applications pe r quadrant. Results: Intraocular pressure was adequately reduced in 49 % of the eyes and rubeosis iridis regressed in 57%. Visual acuity dete riorated in 53% of all cases. Conclusion: Intraocular pressure and rub eosis iridis can in the long term successfully be treated with periphe ral retinal cryotherapy. Despite good intraocular pressure control and regression of rubeosis iridis visual acuity does not improve.