Tunable dye laser photocoagulation for choroidal neovascularization complicating age-related macular degeneration

We report our first 146 consecutive eyes treated with tunable dye laser for choroidal neovascular membrane (NVM) complicating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). They were treated with the orange (595 nm; N = 6), red (630 nm; N = 23), yellow (577 nm; N = 67), or sequential red-yellow (N = 50) wavelength of the tunable dye laser. All had a minimum 180 days follow-up. Eyes were analyzed as two groups categorized by pretreatment visual acuity (VA): 20/100 or better (N = 101), and 20/200 or worse (N = 45). Change in VA between baseline and most recent follow-up was studied by age, laser color, previous non-dye laser treatment, and number of treatments. Age was a statistically significant variable (chi 2 = 6.61, degree of freedom = 2, P less than 0.05). In eyes with initial VA of 20/100 or better, age also was significant for cumulative percent loss in VA of greater than or equal to 2 lines. We discontinued using orange after poor early clinical results. Our results suggest that the dye laser's variety and combination of wavelengths may provide advantages in treating NVM complicating AMD.