Ultrasound biomicroscopic evaluation of ciliochoroidal effusion after laser treatment

We evaluated ciliochoroidal effusion (CE) by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) following diode endophotocoagulation at the end of the vitreoretinal surge ry. The aim of our study was to assess any differences in the CE morphology following diode endophotocoagulation or transpupillary krypton photocoagul ation, and to demonstrate the influence of diabetes and intravitreal surger y on CE formation. Sixty-six consecutive patients were divided in to four g roups. Twenty-nine patients with proliferative retinopathy underwent transp upillary krypton photocoagulation; 11 diabetic patients underwent vitreoret inal surgery and diode endophotocoagulation; 18 nondiabetics underwent vitr eoretinal surgery and diode endophotocoagulation; 8 consecutive nondiabetic patients were the control group and underwent vitreoretinal surgery, witho ut laser treatment. UBM was performed in the four groups before and after l aser treatment, if performed. We determined, by UBM, not only the presence, but also the thickness of CE. CE was present in all the patients treated b y laser, diabetics and nondiabetics, and its thickness was not correlated w ith the number of laser spots (p = 0.28). CE was seen ultrasonically in all the patients undergoing transpupillary photocoagulation or endophotocoagul ation, regardless of diabetes and surgical trauma.