Five patients with a congenital pit of the optic nerve and serous detachment of the macular retina were treated with krypton laser photocoagulation to the juxtapapillary region in an attempt to induce resolution of the retinal detachment. The subretinal fluid resolved after laser therapy in four of the patients. In the fifth, the retinal detachment was successfully treated with pars plana vitrectomy. One patient developed a macular hole and decreased visual acuity, despite resolution of the subretinal fluid.