[Pigment formation in photocoagulation lesions of the retina--biomicroscopic observations (author's transl)].

Retinal changes following photocoagulation (argon laser, xenon coagulator) were documented biomicroscopically in 31 patients who were studied prospectively for 90 days following treatment. Older photocoagulation scars were examined retrospectively in another 15 patients. The purpose of the study was to evaluate a possible new formation of pigment in the pigment epithelial layer. In most patients new pigment first appeared in the lesions two to three weeks after coagulation. The amount of pigment increased more and more slowly with time, but did not stop until the end of the observation period. Different forms of scar formation were observed, such as severe pigmentation, pigmentation outside the coagulated area, scars with glial components, but also extraretinal effects and effects on the retinal surface far from the coagulated area.