Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation. A laser treatment for glaucoma

Ophthalmologists have been searching for a treatment to control intraocular pressure in difficult cases of glaucoma. The ideal treatment is one that is simple and effective and has few side effects. Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation is less damaging to the ciliary process than cyclocryotherapy in which a probe cooled to -112 degrees F (-80 degrees C) with nitrous oxide gas is applied to the conjunctiva to destruct the ciliary body. Because of the large area that comes in contact with the probe, the patient usually experiences severe pain immediately after surgery. The recent availability of the Nd:YAG lasers with a free-running mode of operation has given physicians a wider range of laser energy and has raised the hope that this treatment technique may be more generally available.