The treatment of acute horseshoe retinal tears by transconjunctival cryopexy.

During the past 6 years, 59 consecutive eyes with operculated retinal tears have been treated successfully by transconjunctival cryopexy. This type of treatment risks fewer complications than scleral buckling. Its success implies that vitreous traction upon the retina may be short lived in most eyes or that its intensity diminishes considerably after the development of a retinal tear.