Despite the proven benefit of cryotherapy in the management of
threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), it was shown
leading to ocular adverse effects. A male infant was born at 28
week of gestation with a birth weight of 1200 g. Serial
examinations revealed worsening ROP in both eyes until he
reached a high risk pre-threshold ROP in his right eye and
threshold ROP in his left eye. Cryotherapy was performed for
the threshold ROP in the left eye while the right eye was
subjected to further observation. Subsequently, ROP in both
eyes regressed without cicatrisation. The patient was followedup
over 8 years and refractions showed that the treated eye
developed steadily increasing myopia while the untreated eye
remained emmetropic. This case demonstrated the detrimental
effect of cryotherapy to the treated eye leading to the progressive
myopia as the child grew.