Asymmetry of disciform scarring in bilateral disease when one eye is treated with radiotherapy

A previous study has shown that in age-related macular degeneration a high degree of concordance of disciform scar size occurs in the two eyes of any one patient. In a study of 35 patients with choroidal neovascular membrane who were treated with low dose ionising radiation to the macula of the affected eye, 11 were found to have bilateral disease. The visual outcome and scar size and morphology in the two eyes of each of these patients were compared. This study has provided evidence in support of reduced scarring and maintenance of better central visual function in radiotherapy treated eyes when compared with untreated fellow eyes. (author)