The invention is directed to a method of prophylactically or therapeutically treating choroidal neovascularization, wherein the method comprises directly administering to the eye a therapeutic factor or a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a therapeutic factor, which he expressed to produce the therapeutic factor, to selectively induce apoptosis of endothelial cells associated with neovascularization of the choroid such that choroidal neovascularization is treated prophylactically or therapeutically. The invention also provides a method of prophylactically or therapeutically treating ocular neovascularization, wherein the method comprises directly administering to the eye a nucleic acid sequence encoding a therapeutic factor to promote apoptosis of endothelial cells associated with neovascularization, such that the nucleic acid is expressed thereby producing the therapeutic factor to treat ocular neovascularization prophylactically or therapeutically.