The perioperative complications of xenon-arc photocoagulation of 245 eyes of 165 patients were reviewed. The follow-up ranged from 5 days in case of no complication to 5-30 days in case of complications. In 210 eyes (approximately 86%) photocoagulation could be carried out without any complication. Severe complications occurred in only 8 cases (approximately %). Among these were retrobulbar hematoma, keratopathy, secondary glaucoma, and persistent choroidal detachment. The number of burns per eye was of minor influence to the occurrence of complications.