Arrest and regression of retinal neovascularization.

Retinal neovascularization is one of many forms of new vessel formation in the eye. The chief cause is diabetic retinopathy and the severe retinal and vitreous complications can now be significantly reduced by argon laser and xenon arc coagulation. Although the natural history of proliferative retinopathy is well described, clinical details of monitoring the progress and regression have not been described. This paper describes the signs of active proliferation of arrest and regression both spontaneously and as a result of laser photocoagulation. Vitreous detachment is considered in some detail together with the factors which control the visual outcome after this significant event in the natural history of the retinopathy. The purpose of the paper is to provide a more rational approach to photocoagulation of retinal neovascularization.