Treatment of senile disciform macular degeneration: a single-blind randomised trial by argon laser photocoagulation. The Moorfields Macular Study Group.

Abstract

A prospective randomised trial of argon laser photocoagulation of vascular disciform lesions in the elderly is presented. The results based on 2 years' follow-up show that patients within the treatment group fared better than those in the nontreatment group, although the difference between the 2 groups was not significant at a level of p=001 in any single analysis. It is clear that in a large majority of vascular disciform lesions the neovascular tissue can be obliterated by photo- coagulation, but recurrence of new vessel formation soon after treatment represents a risk to such patients after successful treatment.