CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION OF SUBMACULAR MEMBRANECTOMY WITH RETENTION OF GOOD VISION IN A PATIENT WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

We present the clinicopathologic features of the eye of a patient with age-related macular degeneration who underwent submacular membranecto my and had retention of good visual acuity for almost 4 years despite recurrent choroidal neovascularization treated with krypton laser phot ocoagulation; and mild expansion of the laser lesion with time. Histop athologic study of the surgically removed membrane from the right eye disclosed a thin fibrovascular membrane lined by retinal pigment epith elium on one surface. Microscopic examination of the right eye obtaine d post mortem disclosed a 2.75-mm (horizontal) X 2.1-mm (vertical) ret inal pigment epithelium defect with overlying photoreceptor cell atrop hy centered on the temporal parafoveal area, and a 0.6 X 0.1-mm subret inal pigment epithelium fibrovascular membrane with an area of retinal pigment epithelial hyperplasia and vascularization from the retina 0. 4 mm temporal to the fovea. Basal laminar deposit was present in the r egion of the fovea and nasal parafoveal area.