Treatment of foveal pigment epithelial detachments with contiguous extrafoveal choroidal neovascular membranes.

Fourteen eyes of 14 patients who had subfoveal retinal pigment epithelial detachments and extrafoveal contiguous choroidal neovascular membranes associated with age-related macular degeneration underwent laser photo-coagulation treatment directed solely to their choroidal neovascular membrane. In eight of 14 eyes (57%), photocoagulation treatment resulted in closure of the choroidal neovascular membrane with subsequent collapse of the pigment epithelial detachment. Six of the eight eyes also had visual improvement. In six of 14 eyes (43%), the neovascular membrane eventually progressed into the fovea with resultant visual loss. The results of our study suggest that photocoagulation of extrafoveal choroidal neovascular membranes associated with foveal detachments of the retinal pigment epithelium may preserve and even improve visual function in affected patients.