Nd:YAG laser membranotomy treatment of premacular hemorrhage in two children with hematologic disease.

PURPOSE Nd:YAG laser membranotomy is considered a safe treatment of premacular hemorrhage (PMH) in adult patients, enabling rapid enhancement of visual functions. For children, however, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) performed under general anesthesia has been the accepted treatment. In this report, the authors describe Nd:YAG laser membranotomy (LM) in two children with PMH complicated by hematologic disease. METHODS Size of lesions was measured in optic disc diameters (DD). The authors performed three openings in the anterior surface of PMH with immediate intravitreal drainage of blood in both patients. RESULTS Rapid enhancement of visual functions was followed. The authors observed no complications in 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS LM may be a safe method of treatment of PMH in children in selected cases.