Laser interferometric visual acuity in senile macular degeneration.

Twenty-nine eyes from 15 patients were affected by senile macular degeneration and had clear ocular media. Tests with retinal interference fringe patterns produced by a low-energy helium-neon laser and Snellen's charts showed that in 13 eyes, interferometric and Snellen's acuities were within one line. In the remaining 16 eyes, laser interferometric acuities were notably better than Snellen's acuities. Our results suggest that laser interferometric visual acuities, prior to lens extraction, will prove inconsistent in accurately predicting postoperative Snellen's acuities in patients with senile macular degeneration.