Evaluation of the blood-aqueous barrier by laser flare cell photometry following retinal cryocoagulation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of peripheral 360 degrees retinal cryocoagulation on the blood-aqueous barrier of patients with retinal vascular disorders.


METHODS
The aqueous of 50 eyes of 50 patients with diabetic retinopathy or central vein occlusion was measured by laser flare photometry (FC-2000, Kowa) before peripheral 360 degrees retinal cryocoagulation and 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month thereafter.


RESULTS
Mean aqueous flare values before treatment were 15.7 (+/-8.2) photon counts/ms; mean cell count was 9.8 (+/-14.8) cells/0.5 mm(3). One day after retinal cryocoagulation flare values had increased statistically significantly to a mean of 39.2 (+/-85.8) photon counts/ms, while the increase in mean cell number to 15.0 (+/-37.2) cells/0.5 mm(3) did not reach statistical significance. One week following treatment, mean flare values had dropped to 30.9 (+/-49.6) photon counts/ms and were no longer significantly elevated compared with baseline, while the mean cell count of 11.1 (+/-27.0) cells/0.5 mm(3) was now statistically significantly elevated compared with baseline. One month after treatment the flare values had decreased to a mean of 19.7 (+/-12.0) photon counts/ms, and mean cell count had decreased to 8.1 (+/-10.4) cells/0.5 mm(3); at this point neither parameter showed a statistically significant difference from baseline values.


CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral 360 degrees retinocryocoagulation does not lead to permanent disturbance of the blood-aqueous barrier.
Eter
Nicole
N
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 , Bonn, Germany. eter@uni-bonn.de.
Spitznas
Manfred
M
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 , Bonn, Germany.
Sbeity
Zaher
Z
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 , Bonn, Germany.
Vogel
Antje
A
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 , Bonn, Germany.
D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000166:cytology*; D018916:Blood-Aqueous Barrier; D002452:Cell Count; D003452:Cryosurgery; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D007834:Lasers; D010783:Photometry / Q000379:methods*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000601:surgery*