Surgical Removal of Submacular Neovascular Membrane

ABSTRACT

Currently, laser phtocoagulation is the only recognized therapy for submacular neovascularization. Because of high persistence and recurrence rate and dissatisfying result following laser photocoagulation, other treatment modali-ties have been attempted and one of which is surgical management of neovascular membrane. We investigated the surgical results of 13 eyes of 13 patients who had submacular neovascularization under the fovea which was not amenable to laser photocoagulation.Patients have undergone pars plana vitrectomy and removal of subretinal neovascular membrane.Preoperative and postoperative vision and fluorescein angiogram were investigated.Five patients (38%) had improved vision,five patients (38%) decreased and three (23%) had same vision. Mean follow up duration was 10.8 months (ranging 6 month to 57 month) and 1 case of recurrence was noted but others had stable postoperative vision and ophthalmoscopic finding. Considering poor natural history and dissatisfying result of laser photocoagulation, surgical management can be considered as another option.