Treatment of macular subretinal neovascularization with the red-light krypton laser in presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome.

A patient with presumed ocular histoplasmosis and decreased visual acuity in one eye had subretinal neovascularization and retinal hemorrhage in the macular area. Argon-laser treatment to eradicate the subretinal neovascular membrane was contraindicated because of the proximity of the hemorrhagic lesion to the fovea. We used a red-light krypton laser (647 nm) because the light is not absorbed by the hemoglobin in the retinal hemorrhage or by the macular luteal pigment (xanthophyll), and because it is transmitted into the choroid, allowing treatment within the macular zone with less damage to the internal retinal elements. After treatment, the subretinal neovascular membrane completely disappeared and the macular hemorrhage cleared. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a histoplasmic macular subretinal neovascular membrane has been treated with the red-light krypton laser.