The prevalent cause of retinal detachment is a full-thickness retinal break and the ingress of fluid into the subretinal space. To prevent progression of the detachment, laser photocoagulation (LPC) lesions are placed around the break in clinical practice to seal the tissue. Unlike the usual application under indirect ophthalmoscopy, we developed a semi-automatic treatment planning software based on a sequence of optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans to perform navigated LPC treatment. The depth information allows demarcation of the border where the neurosensory retina is still attached to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which is critical for prevention of detachment progression. To evaluate the method, artificially provoked retinal breaks were treated in seven ex-vivo porcine eyes. Treatment outcome was assessed by fundus photography and OCT imaging. The automatically applied lesions surrounding each detachment (4.4-39.6 mm2) could be identified as highly scattering coagulation regions in color fundus photography and OCT. Between the planned and applied pattern, a mean offset of 68 µm (SD ± 16.5 µm) and a mean lesion spacing error of 5 µm (SD ± 10 µm) was achieved. The results demonstrate the potential of navigated OCT-guided laser retinopexy to improve overall treatment accuracy, efficiency, and safety.

Stickler syndromes are inherited conditions caused by abnormalities of structural proteins in the eye, inner ear and cartilage. The risk of retinal detachment, particularly due to the development of giant retinal tears, is high. Stickler syndrome is the most common cause of childhood retinal detachment. Although retinal detachment surgery in the general population has a high success rate, outcomes from surgical repair in Stickler syndrome patients are notoriously poor, providing a strong argument for prophylactic intervention. Variable case selection, absence of molecular genetic sub-typing and inconsistent treatment strategies have all contributed to the historic uncertainty regarding the safety and efficacy of prophylactic treatment. This paper reviews the major published clinical studies that have evaluated different methods and strategies for prophylaxis. Based on the current body of literature, there is extremely strong evidence from cohort comparison studies demonstrating the efficacy and safety of prophylactic retinopexy to reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of retinal detachment in Stickler syndrome patients. It is vital that this body of evidence is provided to Stickler syndrome patients, to enable them to make their own fully informed choice about whether to receive prophylaxis for themselves and particularly on behalf of their affected children, to reduce the risk of retinal detachment.

BACKGROUND: Severe vision-impairing ocular inflammation is rarely reported following extensive laser. Previous cases have involved retinal photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy resolving over days. This report documents a rare instance of this where encircling retinopexy/cerclage was done as fellow eye retinal detachment prophylaxis in a patient with no overt comorbidities.
RESULTS: A panuveitis-like reaction with severe, near-total visual impairment was documented 1 day following single-sitting encircling laser retinopexy/cerclage done as fellow eye prophylaxis for a 21-year-old male presenting with total retinal detachment in the other eye. Pre-laser findings were unremarkable, other than an equatorial ring of fine vitreous condensations. Pre-laser vision of 20/20 uncorrected decreased to hand motion, light perception on all quadrants, accompanied by severe anterior segment inflammation with hypopyon, retrolental membranes, vitreous cells, and choroidal effusion/suspicious exudative retinal detachment on B-scan ultrasound and ultrasound biomicroscopy. Combination of oral, topical, and depot steroids resulted in restoration of vision by 1 month post-laser, but with persistent anterior segment inflammation and retrolental membranes at month 2 post-laser.
CONCLUSIONS: The atypically inordinate degree of post-laser inflammation and multiple sequelae following encircling retinopexy/cerclage as retinal detachment prophylaxis, in this case, demonstrate the potency and risks of retinal photocoagulation. The value of pre-laser assessment for potential risk factors, caution and mindfulness in conducting the intervention, and, the value of prudent and thorough follow-up are exhibited in this case.