VITREORETINAL SURGERY ASSISTED BY THE 193-NM EXCIMER-LASER

Purpose. Ablating and cutting vitreoretinal membranes using a 193-nm e xcimer laser-based microsurgical system. Methods. A 193-nm microsurgic al system enables delivery of the beam into a fluid medium to cut prer etinal and subretinal membranes. Two patients with proliferative diabe tic retinopathy and one patient with proliferative vitreoretinopathy w ere treated with this new device. Results. Gentle ablation and cutting of the preretinal and subretinal membranes without exerting any tract ion on or apparent damage to the neighboring tissue was achieved. Conc lusions. The technology is applicable to a variety of intraocular vitr eoretinal surgical procedures.