Use of radiation in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

In this century, macular degeneration is likely to reach epidemic proportions. New treatment modalities are being evaluated for wet or neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and include radiation treatment. Radiation is known to potentially destroy vascular tissue, and low-dose radiation has been shown to inhibit new blood vessel growth. Potential advantages to radiation therapy in treating AMD include the absence of iatrogenic mechanical or laser damage, the absence of systemic side effects, and the absence of local side effects caused by periocular and intraocular injection. An additional advantage is that eyes with primarily large, occult choroidal neovascularization are potentially eligible for treatment, and only one treatment would be necessary. The major potential side effect is radiation retinopathy, which is dose dependent.