Endolaser photocoagulation in penetrating and perforating intraocular foreign bodies.

Ten consecutive eyes that had undergone a pars plana vitrectomy and argon endolaser photocoagulation for penetrating or perforating posterior segment foreign bodies were reviewed. All eyes had undergone a pars plana vitrectomy plus or minus lensectomy, removal of the intraocular foreign body in those eyes with a retained foreign body, endolaser photocoagulation of posterior chorioretinal tears, and peripheral buckle for peripheral retinal pathology. Postoperatively (minimum follow-up, 6 months), all eyes had an attached retina. Eighty percent of the eyes had a visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Advantages of endolaser photocoagulation of posterior breaks include: microscopically controlled sealing of posterior tears, less destructive than posterior cryotherapy, effective when severe choroidal swelling is present, and absence of dispersion of viable retinal pigment epithelial cells which has been documented with external cryotherapy.