Antioxidants and zinc may help slow vision loss due to dry AMD. Meanwhile, faricimab-svoa (Vabysmo), an innovative new drug which blocks chemical processes responsible for wet AMD formation by blocking an enzyme called Vabysmo.

Your eye care professional can identify early changes to your central vision by having you look at an Amsler grid. In wet AMD, straight lines may become crooked due to blood vessel leakage lifting the macula and creating swelling.

Injections

Age related macular degeneration is an eye condition affecting the central part of the eye called the macula and can result in vision loss over time, ultimately becoming one of the leading causes of legal blindness in America among people over 50 years old. Unfortunately, no cure exists yet but medication may help slow its progress.

Macular degeneration comes in two varieties, dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration. The former usually progresses slowly over time and leads to gradual changes in central vision; its wet counterpart is more severe – occurring when new blood vessels sprout beneath the retina and leak fluid and scar tissue, leading to loss of central vision quickly and significantly more severely than its dry counterpart. Wet AMD may lead to more significant vision loss more rapidly.

Medication can help slow the formation of abnormal blood vessels that lead to wet macular degeneration. These drugs, known as intravitreal injections, include Aflibercept, Bevacizumab and Ranibizumab which target VEGFR; which has been implicated as one of the primary contributors in developing wet AMD.

These medications can be costly and require frequent monitoring to determine whether dosage adjustments need to be made, yet may not work for all patients. A recent study, however, demonstrated that some patients could receive less injections than normal while still experiencing positive visual outcomes.

Your doctor may suggest taking a daily regimen that includes antioxidants and zinc supplements in order to slow the progress of AMD. Fluorescein angiography or optical coherence tomography tests can also be performed which allow doctors to see inside of your eye and detect any new blood vessels growing underneath your retina, by injecting yellow dye into one vein in your arm and taking photos as the dye moves through its channels.

Laser Surgery

Eye care professionals use laser therapy in some cases of wet AMD to destroy abnormal blood vessels that form and leak fluid into the macula, usually at their doctor’s office or eye clinic, lasting only for short duration. Many types of lasers are available that professionals can use, such as YAG laser surgery which consists of projecting an intense light beam onto retina to damage it; targeting new blood vessels directly using laser surgery; photodynamic therapy which involves administering medication that destroys them directly, among others.

The retina is a thin layer of cells in the back of the eye that converts light into electrical signals for processing by our brain and used to form images we perceive. Our macula provides sharp central vision. Unfortunately, in wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels grow beneath it and leak fluid onto it causing distortion or blind spots in central vision and damaging it further.

If your family history includes wet macular degeneration, your chances of it increasing are elevated. To determine if wet macular degeneration exists in you or not, visit your eye doctor regularly for exams; your eye doctor will conduct various tests such as reading letters on charts or straight lines and your ability to read them accurately.

Studies evaluating prophylactic laser treatments to prevent wet AMD complications have examined their efficacy. Such studies include the Multicenter Age-Related Macular Degeneration Prevention Trial (CAPT) and Ocular Histoplasmosis Study-Krypton Laser and Idiopathic Neovascularization Study-Krypton Laser (OHS-KL). CAPT found that low-intensity laser photocoagulation significantly reduced severe visual loss for patients with advanced wet macular degeneration; however, its recurrence rate was high; at five years, 61% of untreated eyes had lost six or more lines compared to 52% among treated eyes (for lesions within 500 microns of fovea).

Dietary Supplements

Numerous nutritional supplements have been discovered to halt the progression of dry macular degeneration. These nutrients include antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E), zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. While genetics play a part in macular degeneration risk, other modifiable factors such as smoking, physical activity and diet also play an influential role in its onset. Diets that incorporate fruits, vegetables and whole grains tend to reduce macular degeneration risk; regular dilated eye exams are also vitally important.

People suffering from dry macular degeneration typically experience gradual vision loss over time. If symptoms are more severe, nutritional supplements like antioxidants and zinc might provide benefit; such products are available from some ophthalmologists and pharmacies.

Some nutritional supplements have been found to prevent wet AMD, an aggressive form of the condition in which new blood vessels form in the retina, leading to scarring that leads to permanent vision loss. Patients suffering from wet AMD should visit their ophthalmologists regularly and follow Amsler grid guidelines in self-evaluating their condition.

Persons at high risk of wet macular degeneration should ensure they consume a balanced, healthful diet which includes plenty of dark leafy greens and colorful vegetables, avoid smoking, exercise regularly and manage any additional medical conditions such as heart disease or high blood pressure effectively.

Eye Exercises

Studies suggest that eye exercises may slow or even reverse the progression of dry AMD. These exercises involve moving and focusing the eyes together in an coordinated and focused fashion; activities may include shifting their focus from left to right and vice versa; moving them in an H or X shape or following moving objects with your eyes; vision therapy can also provide assistance by improving eye coordination and focus skills.

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition which gradually destroys central vision, eventually leading to total blindness for some people over 55. AMD can be divided into two forms – dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration.