Sub-Intravitreous injection of drugs has been found to slow the formation of leaky blood vessels typical of exudative wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), providing another strategy to protect against further vision loss.

Eylea (aflibercept) and Lucentis (ranibizumab) are anti-VEGF injections designed to treat wet AMD. New two-year data indicates they could enable some patients to reduce or discontinue taking monthly medications altogether.

Avastin

Anti-VEGF injections are among the most advanced treatments for wet macular degeneration, helping reduce fluid accumulation in the eye and thus lessen vision loss. There are three anti-VEGF drugs currently in clinical use: Lucentis, Avastin and Eylea – although an off-label trial conducted recently suggests that Avastin may also be effective against wet AMD as Lucentis is used off-label to treat cancerous tumors.

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels proliferate and leak, leading to swelling at the back of the eye that damages or destroys central vision, potentially leading to blindness. Anti-VEGF medications help slow or stop its progression by blocking new blood vessel growth behind the eye; anti-VEGFs like Avastin and Lucentis both work by inhibiting VEGF protein but differ chemically – one being smaller, thus penetrating small blood vessels more effectively, while Avastin uses larger fragments; while Lucentis uses smaller fragments so it can reach smaller blood vessels behind its surroundings that nourish central vision more effectively.

Avastin is a chemotherapy drug designed to kill tumors by restricting oxygen supply to them and as an anticoagulant to lower bleeding risks in the brain or other organs. While the FDA approved Avastin for cancer patients, its makers did not pursue an ophthalmic license due to Roche’s multimillion-dollar investment into Lucentis development and trial funding; their owner therefore preferred not to invest further funds into Avastin’s development or trials wasting away.

At Oregon Health & Science University’s Casey Eye Institute, physicians have been using Avastin since 2009 to treat wet AMD patients. Recently completed two-year Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatments (CATT) trial have confirmed both Avastin and Lucentis are equally effective treatments for wet AMD.

This study included over 300 patients given either Avastin or Lucentis via the “treat and extend” regimen, tailoring injection frequency according to patient needs. After one year’s results were compiled, both drugs proved equally effective at reducing macular edema and improving visual acuity; long-term safety and efficacy data will still need to be collected and processed.

Lucentis

Ranibizumab, commonly referred to in Australia as Lucentis, has been shown to be effective at slowing and even reversing vision loss associated with wet macular degeneration. When administered intraocularly it works by blocking new blood vessel growth and leakage of existing ones; additionally it treats diabetic retinopathy, macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), macular edema caused by retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

Treatment for neovascular wet age-related macular degeneration was, until recently, limited to laser or challenging surgical interventions. But with the introduction of Macugen – an aptamer targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) – and Lucentis, an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody fragment targeting VEGF 165 – an exciting new era has begun in retinal therapy.

Like its counterpart, bevacizumab, this medication has proven its ability to effectively treat wet macular degeneration by blocking VEGF and preventing new blood vessel formation. As it contains monoclonal antibody fragments targeted against all isoforms of VEGF it also penetrates directly to retina.

An anti-vascularization injection works by inhibiting abnormal blood vessel growth and decreasing leakage from these vessels. Your doctor will clean your eye thoroughly prior to administering this injection; most patients tolerate the procedure well without experiencing adverse side effects.

Recent research comparing bevacizumab to ranibizumab found both drugs to be equally effective at treating wet macular degeneration. Furthermore, a large trial that tested as-needed dosing versus monthly dosing showed both medications are equally capable of stabilizing or improving vision.

Notify your doctor of all medications you are taking, including both prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Also inform them if you are pregnant or breastfeeding as Lucentis can pass into breast milk without harm to baby; your physician can offer guidance as to how you can minimize this risk. If any changes appear after receiving an injection of Lucentis contact your physician immediately for advice on managing it. If any vision loss occurs after receiving Lucentis injections contact them immediately!

MACUGEN

Macugen (pegaptanib sodium injection) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat wet age-related macular degeneration, providing slow vision loss by stopping abnormal blood vessel growth that leak fluid behind retina and destroy central vision. Macugen, an anti-VEGF medication, works by binding to the molecules responsible for encouraging abnormal blood vessel growth. When tested in two controlled studies involving wet macular degeneration patients, Macugen was shown to significantly slow vision loss compared to control groups who received placebo injections only. Macugen should be administered every six weeks for one or two years as an eye injection, with common side effects including eye irritation, vision changes, increased eye pressure and floaters; more serious effects include endophthalmitis (an infection of the inside of the eye) and traumatic cataract.

An estimated 1.2 million Americans suffer from wet macular degeneration, an uncommon but more severe form of AMD which causes rapid vision loss than dry AMD. Wet AMD occurs when blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak fluid and bleed, damaging central vision. According to the National Institutes of Health, wet AMD accounts for 90 percent of blindness related to macular degeneration.

Lucentis and Avastin can inhibit VEGF proteins to slow the progression of wet AMD. Photodynamic therapy, commonly referred to as PDT or Visudyne, uses pegaptanib as a drug to destroy abnormal blood vessels in the eye and thus reduce or eliminate vision loss. PDT involves injecting Visudyne into an arm vein before activating it with low-intensity laser light for about one minute afterward to activate Visudyne and destroy abnormal blood vessels in the retina thus reducing or eliminating future bleeding and future bleeding and vision loss altogether.

Many new drugs are currently in development to treat symptoms associated with wet macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema caused by Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). Additionally, these medications also inhibit abnormal blood vessel growth. Furthermore, laser surgery can be combined with medication treatments to increase their effectiveness; specifically in this form of laser eye surgery where fluid and damaged tissue builds up underneath the retina before medication is directly applied on top.

Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy can be used to combat wet macular degeneration through a combination of medication and laser light, stopping abnormal blood vessels from growing beneath the retina and leading to further vision loss. You will sit in a dark room while your doctor shines a special light into your eye for about 90 seconds; when activated, this light activates verteporfin which sticks “sticks” to the surface of new blood vessels before being destroyed by laser light; photodynamic therapy may slow the rate of vision loss but cannot restore lost sight.

If you are at risk for wet macular degeneration, your eye doctor can detect it through various tests. A thorough eye exam will include searching for blurry areas that indicate abnormal blood vessels under the retina as well as using an Amsler grid chart to see whether straight lines appear crooked – these tests could reveal signs of wet macular degeneration before you become aware of them yourself.

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels develop under the retina in a place called the macula, often leading to leakage of fluid that distorts your vision and leads to rapid loss of central vision. Straight lines appear crooked or blurry as an early telltale sign.

Though wet macular degeneration’s exact cause remains unknown, several risk factors increase your chances. Age is by far the greatest contributor; as you get older your chances of macular degeneration increase exponentially. Smokers or those who have had a family history of wet macular degeneration also face higher chances of macular degeneration; to minimize your risks try eating healthily and taking vitamins supplements regularly to help lower them.

At present, there is no cure for macular degeneration; however, you can at least slow its progress by wearing sunglasses when outdoors and not overexposing your eyes to sunlight. Also try eating more foods rich in antioxidants – chemical substances which neutralize oxygen-charged molecules that damage cells – such as spinach and kale in addition to taking vitamins C, E, and zinc supplements for maximum effect.