Twenty-two eyes of twenty-two patients suffering from retinal peripheral degenerations underwent preventive equatorial buckling with argon laser photocoagulation. The fellow eye was used as control. We evaluated the effects of laser photocoagulation on corneal sensitivity, on accommodation, on pupillary diameter and light reflex. In the postoperative period, up to the 3rd month, results were significant with respect to the control eye. The mechanisms to which the onset of these undesired alterations is due are discussed.