Surgical excision of subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes.

: The possibility for visual improvement after the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes with laser photocoagulation is poor. The surgical excision of these membranes in age-related macular degeneration, the presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, idiopathic neovascularization, and myopia is the focus of current study. This review covers the rationale for considering a surgical approach, the techniques currently used to perform these procedures, and the clinical pathological correlation of the surgically excised specimens. Initial results of this surgery warrant a national randomized clinical trial of its efficacy.