Retinal macroaneurysms treated with the yellow dye laser

Retinal macroaneurysms, and their sequelae of retinal hemorrhage, exudate, edema, and serous detachment of the macula, may lead to decreased central visual acuity. We studied twelve patients with retinal macroaneurysms and decreased or threatened central vision who underwent laser photocoagulation of the macroaneurysm using the yellow (577 nm) wavelength of an ophthalmic tunable dye laser. In all cases, the macroaneurysm was "obliterated", with resolution of hemorrhage, exudate, edema, or serous macular detachment; in eight of the twelve cases, the visual acuity improved following treatment. There were no complications due to the photocoagulation.