Cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity. A personal retrospective.

Six patients from 1975 to 1981 were treated by cryotherapy for active retinopathy and prematurity. One eye was treated, leaving the second eye as a control. Cryotherapy was applied just posterior to the demarcation line, under direct observation and utilizing the cataract probe. Conclusions from this experience are that in order to be effective, cryotherapy must be performed comparatively early in Stage III. Unfortunately, this would lead to treatment of many cases that would spontaneously regress. Treatment of late Stage III, rapidly progressive cases is not impressive.