Diode laser contact transscleral retinal photocoagulation: a clinical study.

AIM To examine the clinical efficacy of contact transscleral retinal photocoagulation with a diode laser. METHODS Transscleral retinal photocoagulation was performed on 36 eyes. The conditions treated included peripheral retinal breaks associated with retinal detachments (30 eyes) and giant retinal tears (six eyes). Of the 30 eyes with retinal detachments, 28 underwent transscleral photocoagulation to the site of drainage of subretinal fluid in an attempt to reduce the risk of hemorrhage. RESULTS Threshold lesions were obtained with irradiances of between 95.4 W/cm2 and 191 W/cm2. Satisfactory chorioretinal adhesion was achieved in all eyes with retinal breaks and giant retinal tears. The only significant complications of treatment encountered were punctate choroidal haemorrhages (three eyes). Drainage related choroidal haemorrhage following earlier photocoagulation occurred in two of 28 eyes. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms the clinical potential of transscleral diode laser photocoagulation in the therapy of surgical retinal conditions.