The role of retinal cryopexy in the management of experimental perforation of the eye during strabismus surgery.

In order to investigate the role of retinal cryopexy in the management of accidental perforation of the globe during strabismus surgery, the retinas of 30 rabbit eyes were perforated with a needle simulating the clinical incident. Ten of these eyes received no further treatment, ten eyes were treated with moderate transscleral cryopexy of the surrounding retina, and the remaining ten eyes were treated with excessively heavy cryocoagulation. The incidence of secondary retinal detachment was identical in the first two groups of rabbits, while it was markedly increased in those rabbits treated with excessively heavy transscleral cryopexy (P less than .01). Based on these findings and a review of the literature, recommendations are made for the management of accidental perforation of the globe during strabismus surgery.