Management of juvenile disciform lesions of the macula

Fourteen eyes with a juvenile disciform lesion of unknown aetiology in the macula were followed up for 1-6 years. Eyes with inflammatory signs, pre-existing chorioretinal scars in the macula, or myopia of more than -5.0 dioptres were not included. Seven eyes in which the subretinal neovascular membrane ws within 200 mu from the foveola were followed-up without treatment. Of these, in 4 the new vessels underwent regression, and the result was good central vision in 3, whereas in 3 eyes the lesion progressed. Seven eyes were treated with photocoagulation: 5 with argon, 2 with krypton laser. In the treated eyes, the neovascular membrane was 200-500 mu from the foveola. New vessels were occluded by photocoagulation in 6 eyes. In the 3 treated eyes in which the new vessels were 350 mu or more from the foveola, the visual acuity improved or remained good (0.8-1.0), whereas in the remaining 4 the vision deteriorated. In the eyes with good initial result the vision has remained stable in spite of remarkable late pigmentary changes in and around the scar.