An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A
.gov website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A
lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
Photocoagulation uses a laser beam passed through the front of the eye and focused on the area around the tear. The tiny laser burns the tissue, which causes scarring. The choice of which to use, cryopexy or photocoagulation, is often determined by location of the tear (front or back part of the retina) and the amount of space between the detached retina and the underlying tissues.
Review Date 7/24/2025
Updated by: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
