DEMARCATION LASER PHOTOCOAGULATION OF MACULAR SPARING RETINAL DETACHMENTS IN TEENAGERS

Purpose: To report a series of macular sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (MSRRD) in teenagers treated with demarcation laser photocoagulation. Methods: Retrospective, interventional, and noncomparative case series of 36 eyes in 33 patients with primary MSRRD. Eyes with ocular congenital anomalies or perforation ocular injury were excluded from this study. All eyes received three or more rows of confluent demarcation laser photocoagulation at the margin of retinal detachment. Best corrected preoperative and postoperative visual acuity and progression of retinal detachment during the follow-up were recorded. Results: Thirty two eyes needed only one session of laser to wall off the retinal detachment. The other four eyes required one additional laser because of progressive retinal detachment. All but one eye had shallow retinal detachment and retinal detachment was successfully demarcated after 1 or 2 episodes of laser treatment at the final visit. Patients were observed up at our clinic from 1 to 6 years. Myopia greater than -3 D was noted in all but one eye. Atrophic holes with or without lattice were the causative breaks in all eyes. All patients maintained best corrected visual acuity equal or better than 20/30. Conclusion: Demarcation laser could successfully wall off macular sparing retinal detachment in teenagers.