Anterior chamber inflammation after transconjunctival cryosurgery.

BACKGROUND

Inflammation caused by transconjunctival cryotherapy for prophylactic retinal detachment surgery was measured in various conditions.

METHODS

Thirty-four eyes of 28 patients with peripheral retinal lesions predisposing to retinal detachment were studied by laser flare cell meter before and after treatment.

RESULTS

The mean flare value for 34 eyes was 4.06 +/- 1.45 photon counts/ms before surgery and 5.72 +/- 2.52 pc/ms after surgery (p < 0.05). Flare value was elevated at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after treatment, peaking at 2 weeks (p < 0.05), and normal again at 4 weeks. There were no significant differences in flare increase between eyes with and without retinal breaks, eyes with and without limited retinal detachment, eyes with myopia more and less than -8.0 D, and eyes with a treatment area limited to one quadrant and extending over more than one quadrant.

CONCLUSION

Transconjunctival cryosurgery caused mild inflammation in the anterior chamber of the eye for 3 weeks. The inflammation was not affected by the presence of retinal break or limited retinal detachment, the degree of myopia, or the extent of the treatment area.