title: Treatment of age-related macular degeneration by laser photocoagulation. Visual results 2-8 weeks and 2-4 years after initial laser treatment.
abstract: Laser treatment with blue-green argon, green argon and/or krypton red was performed on 578 eyes in 443 patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The visual acuity was examined in all eyes 2 to 8 weeks after initial treatment and in 204 eyes in 167 patients 2 to 4 years after initial treatment. The short term results were as follow: 91/578 eyes (16%) had improved (greater than or equal to 2 lines on Snellen's charge or equivalent steps), 445/578 eyes (77%) remained unchanged and 42/578 eyes (7%) had deteriorated visual acuity (greater than or equal to 2 lines on Snellen's chart or equivalent steps). The reduction in visual acuity, may in about half of the 42 eyes be caused by too intensive laser application in the beginning of this study in 1983 and 1984 where treatment was applied with blue-green argon, which has now been abandoned. In the group with an observation time of 2 to 4 years, 42/204 eyes (21%) had improved, 119/204 eyes (58%) remained unchanged and 43/204 eyes (21%) had a deteriorated visual acuity. In the 204 eyes the subretinal neovascular lesion(s) were located extrafoveally in 52 eyes, juxtafoveally in 114 eyes and subfoveally in 38 eyes. It is to be pointed out, that even patients with a pre-laser visual acuity of 6/60 or worse obtained an improvement of visual acuity in 12/27 eyes. About 40% of the eyes needed re-treatment from 1 to 8 times. It is unknown whether the obtained results are to be considered marginal or more substantial.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frost-Larsen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gregersen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scherfig
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008028:Light Coagulation; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity