Three year results of prophylactic laser treatment to fellow eyes of unilateral retinal pigment epithelial tears

Abstract

Purpose. To reduce the high risk of visual loss in the fellow eye of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who suffered a tear of the retinal pigment epithelium in their first eye ( Schoeppner et al.: Am J Ophthalmol. 1989;108:683-685) prophylactic laser treatment was applied to the posterior pole. Methods. Twelve patients with a tear of the retinal pigment epithelium due to AMD received prophylactic laser treatment to their fellow eye. All patients were followed for two years, ten patients were followed for three years. Treatment consisted of twelve Argon green laser burns that were placed 600 jam to 1000 urn away from the fovea. With a spot size of 200 jam at 0.2 sec the low..