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CM Eandi, F Cardillo Piccolino, L Ventre, FM Grignolo; Subthreshold Diode Laser Grid Photocoagulation For Treatment of Adult Vitelliform Macular Degeneration . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2002;43(13):1233.
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Abstract: : Purpose: Adult vitelliform macular degeneration is characterized by a deep central yellowish lesion which results in a gradual atrophic maculopathy with central visual decrease. The purpose of this study is to determine whether subthreshold diode laser macular grid photocoagulation may be clinically effective in the treatment of this disease. Methods: 4 eyes of 4 patients with adult vitelliform macular degeneration were treated after obtaining informed consent. Patients complained of progressive visual blurring due to subfoveal yellowish material in both eyes. In each patient the eye with the larger vitelliform lesion was chosen for treatment. Lesion size in the treated eyes varied between one-third and one-disc diameter. Visual acuity of the same eyes ranged between 20/50 and 20/100. Eyes were treated with subthreshold diode laser (810 nm) macular grid photocoagulation (48 spots). Changes of macular lesion and visual acuity were evaluated in a follow-up period of at least 6 months. Results: Complete resolution of the yellowish lesion was observed in the 4 eyes 3 or 4 months after the treatment. At the end of the follow-up irregular pigmentation without geographic atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium was seen in the area previously covered by the abnormal material. At 6 months visual acuity was unchanged in 3 eyes and improved of 2 lines in one eye. During the follow-up minimal changes of the macular lesion were observed in the fellow eye of 3 patients. An atrophic maculopathy developed in the fourth fellow eye. Conclusion: Subthreshold diode laser macular grid photocoagulation seems to be able to induce elimination of the subretinal material and preservation of visual acuity in adult vitelliform macular degeneration. Further studies are required to confirm the benefit of this treatment with respect to the natural history of the disease.
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