Transscleral laser treatment appears a viable alternative to transpupillary ablation for threshold ROP

Researchers retrospectively evaluated their experience treating 52 infants (103 eyes) with threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with transscleral diode laser retinal photocoagulation under topical anesthesia. This technique resulted in a favorable outcome in 93.2 percent with no major complications in the treated eyes.

The authors note that transscleral laser treatment may be technically easier for treating retinal periphery, especially in poorly dilating pupils, and it avoids the occasional anterior segment complications of the transpupillary approach. It can also be performed under topical anesthesia.