[Surgical occlusion of 2 vortex veins in the treatment of decompensated senile macular degeneration. A longer-term evaluation].

Microsurgical occlusion of two vortex veins was carried out on seventeen eyes of 16 patients affected with senile pigment epithelial detachment. Ten eyes had avascular pigment epithelium detachment and 7 eyes had pigment epithelium detachment associated with choroidal new vessels. Regression or stabilisation of the fundus lesions occurred in one of the eyes affected with vascular pigment epithelium detachment. On the other hand 3 months postoperatively, the pigment epithelium detachment had flattened with significant improvement of the visual acuity, in 4 of the 10 eyes affected with avascular pigment epithelium detachment. However the results were not as satisfactory after a longer follow-up. The improved visual acuities noted at 3 months, gradually deteriorated after 6-12 months in most patients and 4 eyes showed subsequent clinical evidence of active disease. The results of the present study lead to conclude that the surgical occlusion of 2 vortex veins does not provide a satisfactory answer to the treatment of senile pigment epithelial detachment.