LONGER TERM VISUAL OUTCOME OF EYES WITH RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY TREATED WITH CRYOTHERAPY OR DIODE-LASER

Aims-Visual outcome of 66 eyes in 37 patients who had undergone treatm ent with either cryotherapy or diode laser for threshold retinopathy o f prematurity was assessed. Methods-17 patients, representing 30 eyes treated with cryotherapy, were examined at between 56 and 98 months co rrected age (median 68 months). 20 patients representing 36 eyes treat ed with diode laser, were examined at between 30 and 66 months correct ed age (median 51 months). Structural outcome was categorised as: opti mal-flat posterior pole; suboptimal-macular ectopia, optic nerve hypop lasia, retinal fold involving the macula, and retinal detachment invol ving the macula. Results-Optimal structural outcome was, in the absenc e of amblyopia, associated with optimal visual acuity (of 6/12 or bett er) in all cases, with most eyes achieving a visual acuity of 6/9 or 6 /6. Suboptimal structural outcome was invariably associated with subop timal visual acuity. Amblyopia was present in eight out of 20 cryother apy treated eyes and in five out of 26 laser treated eyes with an opti mal structural outcome. Refractive errors were significantly less in l aser treated eyes as was the incidence of anisometropic amblyopia. Con clusion-Eyes treated with either cryotherapy or diode laser for thresh old retinopathy of prematurity with optimal structural outcome are ass ociated with development of optimal visual acuity-that is, 6/12 or bet ter. Treatment with either cryotherapy or laser does not in itself red uce the visual potential of these eyes.