Histopathologic characteristics of diode laser-induced chorioretinal adhesions for experimental retinal detachment in rabbit eyes.

A retinal break and localized retinal detachment were induced in 10 rabbit eyes. The retinal break was treated within regions of detached retina using diode laser transscleral retinopexy (four eyes), diode laser indirect ophthalmoscopy (two eyes), or retinocryopexy (two eyes). Two eyes were left as untreated controls. The clinical and histopathologic effects were studied 1 day and 3 weeks after initial treatment. Suitable chorioretinal adhesions were induced with all treatment modalities. The extent of tissue effects was greater in cryopexy and smaller in laser treatment. The histopathologic characteristics of the lesions induced by diode laser indirect ophthalmoscopy were similar to those seen with transscleral diode treatment and were more focal than those seen with cryopexy. Transscleral and transpupillary diode laser photocoagulation were effective in inducing chorioretinal adhesions in detached retina in this experimental model in rabbits.