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. 2021 Jun 2;6(1):47-53.
doi: 10.1177/24741264211013649. eCollection 2022 Jan-Feb.

Patients' Preference Regarding Laser Photocoagulation or Cryoretinopexy for the Treatment of Retinal Pathology

Saaquib R Bakhsh  1   2 , Ryan A Shields  2 , Mohammad A Tahboub  3 , Antonio Capone  1   2
Affiliations

Patients' Preference Regarding Laser Photocoagulation or Cryoretinopexy for the Treatment of Retinal Pathology

Saaquib R Bakhsh et al. J Vitreoretin Dis. .

Abstract

Purpose: High-risk peripheral retinal pathology can be prophylactically treated with both laser photocoagulation (laser) and cryoretinopexy (cryopexy). We sought to identify a possible preference by patients toward one modality and any underlying association.

Methods: A single-center survey was conducted of patients with peripheral retinal pathology who received both laser and cryopexy at Associated Retinal Consultants (Royal Oak, Michigan). The main outcome measure was the preferred treatment modality.

Results: Patients reported more pain after cryopexy (46%) than laser (11%). Most patients felt it was easier to recover from laser (52%) than cryopexy (13%). Overall, patients preferred laser (60%) to cryopexy (25%), with a minority (15%) having no preference. There was a negative relationship between a patient's likelihood of preferring cryopexy and the number of applications (P = .009).

Conclusions: Most patients preferred laser (60%) to cryopexy. If cryopexy is performed, minimizing the number of freezes may improve the patient's experience and recovery.

Keywords: cryoretinopexy; laser photocoagulation; preference; retinal tear.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Sample survey. N indicates no; Y, yes.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
(A) Patients’ relative anxiety before and during laser and cryopexy (cryo). (B) Patients’ relative pain during and after laser and cryopexy.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Incidence of postprocedure adverse events for laser and cryopexy. Patients who received both cryopexy and laser the same day were excluded.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
(A) Patients’ perception as to which procedure was longer. (B) Patients’ relative ease of recovery, excluding those who had both procedures the same day. (C) Overall patients’ preference. Cryo indicates cryopexy.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Estimate plot from logistic regression demonstrating the probability of preferring cryopexy based on the number of freezes. Gray shading is 95% CI.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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