A COMPARISON OF ARGON AND DIODE PHOTOCOAGULATION COMBINED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN FOR THE TREATMENT OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

The efficacy of argon and diode laser photocoagulation of the avascula r peripheral retina for threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was compared in a prospective trial. The study group included 9 premature infants (17 eyes). In each infant, one eye was treated with the diode laser indirect ophthalmoscope (LIO), and the fellow eye was treated w ith the argon LIO. Supplemental oxygen therapy was administered after laser treatment to all nine infants. The mean duration of the follow-u p period was 9.7 +/- 2.6 months. All 17 eyes (100%) had complete regre ssion of ROP and favorable outcomes. The diode and argon LIO appear to be equally effective in treating threshold ROP. Two patients sustaine d burns of the tunica vasculosa lentis and anterior lens capsule in th e argon laser treated eye but not in the fellow diode treated eye. Pho tocoagulation with either the diode or argon LIO, combined with supple mental oxygen treatment, appears to be a promising treatment for retin opathy of prematurity.