Purpose: To report the occurrence of neurotrophic corneal defects after ciliary body ablation with the diode laser.
Methods: Case reports.
Result: Neurotrophic keratitis, previously associated with cyclocryotherapy, may also be associated with ciliary body ablation with a contact diode laser.
Conclusion: Practitioners who use the diode laser for ciliary body ablation should be aware of neurotrophic keratitis as a possible complication, especially because the patient population receiving this therapy may have diabetes, chronic eye inflammation, or other conditions predisposing to compromised corneal innervation, which is necessary for epithelial integrity.