methods and systems for controlling selective targeting of retinal pigment epithelium cells within a treatment region of the rpe . the methods include depositing a selected amount of energy on a test region of the rpe ; determining an extent to which microcavitation has occurred in the test region ; and on the basis of the determination , either depositing the selected amount of energy on the treatment region , or depositing an increased amount of energy on the test region , and repeating steps and .