title: Transscleral contact krypton laser cyclophotocoagulation for treatment of glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the usefulness of the krypton laser for transscleral contact cyclophotocoagulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transscleral contact krypton laser cyclophotocoagulation was performed in 62 eyes of 57 patients with therapy-resistant glaucoma. A minimum follow-up for 6 months was obtained for 59 eyes. The krypton laser was delivered via a fiberoptic probe with compression of the sclera by the probe. The energy used was 4 to 5 J per application at the tip of the probe with an exposure time of 10 seconds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intraocular pressure (IOP) decreased from the baseline mean of 34.8 +/- 11.0 mmHg to 20.4 +/- 8.3 mmHg within 10 days, to 22.6 +/- 12.5 mmHg at 1 month, to 21.3 +/- 11.3 mmHg at 3 months, and to 20.9 +/- 9.1 mmHg at 6 months postoperatively. Intraocular pressures of 8 to 24 mmHg were obtained in 62% of the eyes at 1 month, 60% at 3 months, and 73% at 6 months postoperatively with one or more cyclophotocoagulations but no other hypotensive procedures. The corresponding success rates after 6 months were 82% for eyes in which the procedure was performed to preserve vision and 50% for eyes in which the procedure was performed to relieve pain. No clinical signs of scleral injury or cyclodestruction-related loss of vision were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Krypton laser cyclophotocoagulation appears to be an effective and well-tolerated means of lowering IOP in therapy-resistant glaucoma. An advantage of the method is that standard retinal krypton photocoagulators can be used for the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Immonen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puska
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raitta
mesh_terms: D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000601:surgery; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods; D008028:Light Coagulation / Q000379:methods; D012086:Reoperation; D012590:Sclera; D014792:Visual Acuity