[Prophylactic laser treatment to macular soft drusen in age-related maculopathy of updated results]

To investigate the follow-up results of the prophylactic laser treatment to macular soft drusen in age-related macular degeneration.

Prospective, 10 persons with bilateral soft drusen and with good visual acuity were observed for 8 years. 10 eyes were treated. The fellow eyes were as control group. Fluorescein angiography and Amsler test were studied after 8 years. Scanning laser ophthalmoscope was performed after 2 years. Some of them were performed multifocal ERG to test the macular function after 3 years.

There is no choroidal neovascularization in both the laser group and the control group. There is no differences in the best corrected visual acuity after 8 years. All eyes had good fovea fixation. Light sensitivity of both eyes had no significant difference to be found by scanning laser ophthalmoscope. The latencies and amplitude densities of the N1 and P1 waves in the central first ring remained unchanged at 3 years post-treatment (before treatment t = -0.779, 0.722, -0.491, 0.286; after treatment t = 1.342, 0.043, 0.937, 0.350; P > 0.05) compared with the fellow eyes.

There is no impairment to be found in the macula after preventive laser treatment. The treatment did not demonstrate a clinically significant benefit for choroidal neovascularization in eyes of people with bilateral large drusen.