A survey of retinal detachment surgeons on the use of cryotherapy or diathermy

A questionnaire on the use of cryosurgery or diathermy was sent to 56 members of The Retina Society Inc. Of these surgeons polled, 57% use cryotherapy in from 80 to 100% of their cases; 23% of the surgeons polled used diathermy in from 70 to 100% of their cases. The advantages of cryotherapy vs the advantages of diathermy are expressed by the various proponents of these two modalities. The use of postoperative photocoagulation is quite rare among the majority of surgeons, regardless of their technique. Transconjunctival cryotherapy is replacing photocoagulation in the treatment of peripheral tears. The treatment of lattice degeneration remains highly selective in individual cases. However, almost 50% of the surgeons do not treat lattice as a general rule. When treatment is indicated, cryotherapy is the modality of choice.