Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a frequent disease of the elderly and the most common cause of blindness. During the past decade a variety of therapeutic options have been developed and made available for clinical use. Research results are maturing, but to date the interested reader has had to trawl the many journals of ophthalmology and radiotherapy to acquire relevant information. This book is designed to rectify this situation by providing a comprehensive report on the current forms of treatment for ARMD. After an introductory section on the diagnosis and features of ARMD, individual chapters written by internationally recognized experts document in detail the scientific fundamentals of radiotherapy and ophthalmic surgery, the treatment techniques, potential side-effects, and outcome. Several international study groups report the results of clinical research, focussing on the effectiveness of both radiotherapy and surgery. Special radiotherapy techiques such as proton beam therapy and brachytherapy are described, and their merits and disadvantages discussed. This unique book will be of immense value to all with interest in ARMD.