Brachytherapy - Optional treatment for choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) presents the main cause of irrevers ible loss of central vision in older population, due to a progressive neuro retinal damage and damage of retinal pigment epithelium of foveal area. Thi s observation emphasizes the insufficiency of all presently used therapeuti c procedures. Therefore, investigation has been conducted at the University Eye Clinic Zagreb for the last three years testing the effects of brachyth erapy with direct episcleral application of ruthenium applicators to the po sterior pole of the globe. Forty-two patients aged 58-79 were followed for a min. of 12 months. During this period their central visual acuities remai ned stable. Six patients showed one-line improvement of visual acuity and 8 patients showed no changes. Twenty-one patient lost 1-2 lines of visual ac uity and 7 patients lost more than 2 lines. According to this we can conclu de that patients treated with brachytherapy showed significantly better res ults compared to the control subjects, which is very encouraging.