Macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States. Doctors at Allegheny General Hospital are offering patients a new option, the use of radiotherapy to treat the problem.
Radiotherapy uses low dose radiation to stop the progression of vision loss on the retina.
The initial results look very promising. The macula is a small part of the retina comprised of very specialized and highly developed cells, capable of identifying color and discriminating fine details. When it becomes impaired the individual often loses ability to read and identify facial expressions. The macula is particularly susceptible to the physiological effects of age. Dry and exudative forms are two types of macular degeneration.