Radiation treatment in age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of rapid and severe visual loss and legal blindness in developed countries (1,2). Ten million Americans are visually disabled due to AMD and 10% of patients aged 66 to 74 show signs of AMD (3,4). Estimated prevalence is from 7% to 30% in persons aged 75 to 85 years (4–6). The “wet” form of AMD is responsible for the most severe and rapid vision loss. In North America, 200,000 to 400,000 people will develop this form of AMD each year. Wet AMD accounts for 12% of cases overall but 90% of cases of legal blindness (see chap 8 on Wet AMD) (4).