An apparatus for applying radiation to a subject's retina, comprising: a radiation source for generating a radiation beam having one or more wavelengths suitable for absorption by retinal pigment epithelial cells, at least one optical component for directing the beam onto the retina, a scanner optically coupled to the source for controllably moving the beam in two dimensions to scan the beam over the retina, a controller in communication with the scanner to apply control signals thereto for adjusting movement of the beam to illuminate a plurality of retinal locations in a temporal sequence according to a scan pattern, wherein the controller is capable of operating the scanner in at least two scan modes, a first one of the scan modes being suitable for selective targeting of retinal pigment epithelial cells and a second one of the scan modes being suitable for causing thermal photocoagulation in the retina; and a user interface configured to allow a user to select between the first and second scan modes, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a scan pattern, a number of repetitions of the scan pattern, a dwell time, and a beam fluence to selectively target RPE cells or for thermal photocoagulation, characterized in that the first scan mode comprises the beam imparting to the retina one of: (i) a fluence equal to or less than about 10,000 mJ/cm 2 in a separated line pattern; and (ii) a fluence equal to or less than about 2000 mJ/cm 2 in an interlaced line pattern; and wherein the second scan mode comprises the beam imparting to the retina one of: (iii) a fluence greater than about 10,000 mJ/cm 2 and a beam dwell time greater than about 50 microseconds in a separated line pattern; and (iv) a fluence greater than about 2000 mJ/cm 2 and a beam dwell time greater than about 15 microseconds in an interlaced line pattern. a radiation source for generating a radiation beam having one or more wavelengths suitable for absorption by retinal pigment epithelial cells, at least one optical component for directing the beam onto the retina, a scanner optically coupled to the source for controllably moving the beam in two dimensions to scan the beam over the retina, a controller in communication with the scanner to apply control signals thereto for adjusting movement of the beam to illuminate a plurality of retinal locations in a temporal sequence according to a scan pattern, wherein the controller is capable of operating the scanner in at least two scan modes, a first one of the scan modes being suitable for selective targeting of retinal pigment epithelial cells and a second one of the scan modes being suitable for causing thermal photocoagulation in the retina; and a user interface configured to allow a user to select between the first and second scan modes, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a scan pattern, a number of repetitions of the scan pattern, a dwell time, and a beam fluence to selectively target RPE cells or for thermal photocoagulation, characterized in that the first scan mode comprises the beam imparting to the retina one of: (i) a fluence equal to or less than about 10,000 mJ/cm 2 in a separated line pattern; and (ii) a fluence equal to or less than about 2000 mJ/cm 2 in an interlaced line pattern; and (i) a fluence equal to or less than about 10,000 mJ/cm 2 in a separated line pattern; and (ii) a fluence equal to or less than about 2000 mJ/cm 2 in an interlaced line pattern; and wherein the second scan mode comprises the beam imparting to the retina one of: (iii) a fluence greater than about 10,000 mJ/cm 2 and a beam dwell time greater than about 50 microseconds in a separated line pattern; and (iv) a fluence greater than about 2000 mJ/cm 2 and a beam dwell time greater than about 15 microseconds in an interlaced line pattern. (iii) a fluence greater than about 10,000 mJ/cm 2 and a beam dwell time greater than about 50 microseconds in a separated line pattern; and (iv) a fluence greater than about 2000 mJ/cm 2 and a beam dwell time greater than about 15 microseconds in an interlaced line pattern.