Visual acuity and scar size in eyes with age-related subfoveal choroidal neovascular lesions, 30 months after radiation therapy.
OBJECTIVE
In a study to determine the effectiveness of ionizing radiation on the deterioration of visual acuity (VA) due to choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) the affected eyes of 10 patients were treated with a total dose of 24 Gy (6 Gy fractions). A special lens-sparing technique was used to avoid cataract development. During 30 months of follow-up the visual acuity (VA) and scar size (SS) of the treated eyes and fellow eyes of all 10 patients were evaluated.


RESULTS
After 30 months of follow-up 5 eyes showed a stable VA and fluorescein angiogram (FA) appearance. Concerning 4 out of 5 eyes with progressive disease, the 4 eyes treated with radiation therapy had better VA and smaller SS as compared with the untreated fellow eyes with exudative AMD.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that 24 Gy either stabilizes or delays the deleterious effects of CNV on the visual acuity. Until now no late side effects have been observed.
Bergnik
G J
GJ
Institute of Ophthalmology, University hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Hoyng
C B
CB
van der Maazen
R W
RW
Deutman
A F
AF
van Daal
W A
WA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*