Retinal cryoapplication and fibrinolysis in experimental vitreous hemorrhage

Retinal cryoapplication accelerates blood resorption of experimental vitreous hemorrhages shortening the time until fundus visualization is possible. For the animals that underwent cryoapplication five days after blood injection into the vitreous cavity, the mean time to fundus visualization was 3.75 weeks versus 5.06 weeks for the control group (p less than 0.001). Retinal cryoapplication also causes an increase in the concentration of fibrin degradation products in the vitreous cavity, indicating an activation of fibrinolysis, one of the most important processes involved in hemorrhage resolution. Use of topical indomethacin slightly lessens the effect of cryoapplication on acceleration of blood resorption (mean 4.06 weeks until visualization), but does not influence the effect on fibrinolysis.