A new technique of treating rhegmatogenous retinal detachment using the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.

In eyes with retinal detachment and a horseshoe break, vitreous traction on the retina has been relieved by severing the flap of the break with the aid of the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The retina often flattens in eyes with shallow retinal detachment after this treatment; the breaks then can be sealed off with argon laser. In cases of retinal detachment treated with expanding gas, fewer recurrences were observed when vitreous traction had been relieved by Nd:YAG laser treatment.