Management of choroidal neovascularization within the foveal avascular zone in senile macular degeneration.

After fluorescein angiography, central visual field testing, and photofield mapping, 94 eyes with senile macular degeneration and foveal choroidal new vessels (distance of 200 micron or less from the center of the foveal avascular zone) were treated with the monochromatic green argon laser. By the end of the follow-up period (average follow-up, 15 months), the new vessels were closed in 88 eyes and visual acuity was stabilized or improved in 70 eyes. These 70 eyes included 68 of 80 eyes with preoperative visual acuities of 20/70 or worse and only two of 14 eyes with preoperative visual acuities of 20/60 or better. Visual acuity was stabilized or improved in 55 of 62 eyes in which the foveal edge of the choroidal new vessels was within the margins of the pretreatment scotoma and in only 15 of 32 eyes with foveal edges extending beyond the scotoma margins.