Internal limiting membrane wrinkling after argon and krypton laser photocoagulation of choroidal neovascularization

A retrospective study was performed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for internal limiting membrane (ILM) wrinkling following successful argon and krypton laser photocoagulation of choroidal neovascular membranes. The study included 139 eyes with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Argon treated eyes with POHS had a significantly higher prevalence of ILM wrinkling (30/63, 47.6%) than those with AMD (6/40, 15%, P = 0.0007). Krypton treated eyes also demonstrated a higher prevalence of ILM wrinkling in eyes with POHS (3/12, 25%) than in eyes with AMD (2/19, 10.5%) but this difference was not significant. In general, argon-treated eyes had a greater prevalence of ILM wrinkling than krypton treated eyes (35.0% vs 16.1%, P = 0.046). Factors which appeared to increase the risk of ILM wrinkling included intensity of treatment, area of the neovascular membrane, and the presence of subretinal blood.