title: Patient perceptions and experiences of stereotactic radiotherapy for wet age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Wet age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections are the mainstay of treatment but require monthly injections and frequent hospital visits. A novel approach to treatment with the use of stereotactic radiotherapy (Oraya IRay) as an adjunct to ranibizumab injections has shown promising results. We explored patients' experiences of receiving Oraya therapy for wet ARMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a consecutive case series with objective and detailed reporting of the personal experiences of 5 patients with active wet ARMD treated with Oraya radiotherapy in our unit. We provided all patients who had received one Oraya treatment with a standardized survey composed of 10 questions addressing the experience of receiving this treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Generally, patients reported positive experiences of receiving Oraya treatment and perceived this treatment as a better option in comparison with anti-VEGF injections. However, the patients' perceptions of Oraya treatment varied according to patients' previous experiences of anti-VEGF injections and expectations of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients mainly justified their decision to receive Oraya treatment by expecting fewer intravitreal injections, but more research on this topic is needed to suggest new evidence-based treatment protocols for patients with wet ARMD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Development, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester - UK.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Senra
authors.affiliation: Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham - UK.
authors.forename: Sobha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester - UK.|NIHR biomedical research centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London - UK.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balaskas
authors.affiliation: Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester - UK.
authors.forename: Mania
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Development, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester - UK.|Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester - UK.|School of Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh - UK.
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aslam
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D016634:Radiosurgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*