Threshold retinopathy of prematurity. Transition from cryopexy to laser treatment.

Purpose: The authors studied the effectiveness of laserpexy versus cryopexy for treatment of acute retinopathy of prematurity.

Methods: Seventy-six eyes in 41 patients were treated for acute retinopathy of prematurity from January 1991 to April 1994.

Results: Fifty-six eyes in 30 patients had zone 2 disease. Of these 30 patients, 11 received laser treatment and 20 received cryopexy treatment; there was at least one anatomically successful eye in each patient. Twenty eyes in ten patients had zone 1 disease. Seven patients had bilateral laser treatment. Three patients had bilateral cryopexy. In seven eyes with zone 1 disease, five were treated successfully with laser. None of the three eyes with zone 1 disease treated with cryopexy were successful.

Conclusion: Laserpexy and cryopexy are of equal efficacy in treating zone 2 disease. There is a tendency that suggests that laserpexy is more effective than cryopexy in treating zone 1 disease. Diode and argon lasers are of equal efficacy in treating zone 1 disease.