Serous detachments of the retinal pigment epithelium in patients with senile macular disease.

Thirty-one patients had senile macular disease with serous detachments of the retinal pigment epithelium without evidence of choroidal neovascularization. Of these 31 patients the natural history of 24 eyes was compared with 21 eyes treated with photocoagulation. Eight patients with bilateral detachments had treatment applied to one eye. There was no conclusive evidence that photocoagulation alters the natural course of this condition.