[Scleral control of cryotherapy in the treatment of retinal detachment]

The necessary condition for the creation of a chorioretinal scar is the freezing of the pigment epithelium (associated with that of the choroid during cryoapplication). In the case of retinal detachment, when the indentation of the cryode permits one to reach the detached retina, one can use the retinal control of the cryoapplication, i.e. the whitening of the retina. When the cryode indentation does not reach the detached retina, one must not wait for the retinal whitening for it produces a considerable over-application to the choroid during the time it takes for the ice to go through the subretinal fluid. In these cases, it is proposed to observe the development of the freezing area in the sclera on each side of the cryode. When it reaches 1 mm, it has the depth required to freeze the choroid and pigment epithelium. During this procudure, the sclera must not be indented. One is therefore certain thanks to the scleral control, not to freeze the retina or the vitreous and thus secondary retinal-vitreal complications.