Cryotherapy in proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Abstract EN

Background / purpose : Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is the serious sequel in diabetic patients.

Retinal ablation by laser photocoagulation is accepted as the treatment of choice in PDR.

Retinal ablation by croyopexy should also be effective in treatment of PDR.

The aim was to evaluate cryotherapy in PDR and compare it with the results of photocoagulation.

Patients / methods : 60 eyes with PDR and significant ocular media opacity were treated by crotherapy.

At each quadrant of the retina, 8 to 10 spots of the cryopexy, between 7 to 15 mm of the limbus were applied.

This was controlled by indirect ophthalmoscopy and was continued up to point of freezing and whitening of the retina.

The patients were followed at one week, one month and every three months for at least one year.

Results : 24 eyes (40 %) had improved vision, 30 eyes (50 %) had no change in the visual acuity and 6 eyes (10 %) had decreased visual acuity.

This result compares favorable with panretinal laser photocoagulation.

21 (36.6 %) eyes gained more than 5 meter counting finger (CF) vision and 3 eyes less than 5 meter CF.

there is significant difference (P < 0.001).

Conclusion : It seems that retinal cryoablation has a place in the treatment of PDR and in selected cases may be the method of choice.