title: Cryosurgery in the management of vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
abstract: Forty-eight eyes of patients with bulbar vernal conjunctivitis and eight eyes of patients with severe tarsal vernal conjunctivitis were treated with cryopexy. A pointed probe with tip temperature of -35 degrees C was used for the bulbar application, while a round-ended probe with tip temperature of -70 degrees C was used for tarsal application after excision of large cobblestones. Immediate results were highly impressive, while observation over 36 months in some of the patients showed long-term relief or very marked reduction in frequency of exacerbations. Cryotherapy avoids the long-term use of topical corticosteroids in vernal conjunctivitis and is preferable in our largely illiterate population. This study shows that the method is effective and safe.
mesh_terms: D001623:Betamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D001623:Betamethasone