LASER PHOTOCOAGULATION TO TREAT MACULAR SOFT DRUSEN IN AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Purpose: To evaluate the effect on subfoveal and nasal drusen when las er treatment is applied only to the soft drusen located in the tempora l macula. Methods: A prospective pilot study of 20 patients with confl uent soft drusen involving the fovea was conducted. One spot of argon green laser (100-mum spot at 100 mW for 0.1 sec) was applied to each s oft druse in the temporal macula. Results: Treated and untreated druse n disappeared in all patients after mean times of 2 months and 10 mont hs, respectively. The treated temporal drusen disappeared first, follo wed by the subfoveal and then the nasal drusen. Superonasal drusen per sisted longer. Visual acuity improved by one line or more in 6 (30%) p atients, remained unchanged in 13 (65%), and worsened in 1 (5%) patien t. No treatment-related complications were observed after an 18-month follow-up period. Conclusion: Treatment with laser photocoagulation ca used resolution not only of treated soft drusen but also of untreated soft drusen located far from the laser scars in the nasal macula.