There are various treatments available to slow the progression of AMD. Regular eye examinations and careful observation are crucial. If you detect blurry central vision, darkened edges of colors, or any small blind spots it is wise to visit an eye doctor immediately.

The National Eye Institute’s Age-Related Macular Degeneration Study (AREDS) revealed that taking high doses of antioxidants and zinc could help slow macular degeneration.

Laser Surgery

Laser photocoagulation surgery uses laser light beams to cut through tissue. Lasers can also be used to destroy abnormal blood vessels in the eye that cause wet macular degeneration; this procedure is known as laser photocoagulation.

The retina is a thin layer of cells covering the back of your eye. It converts light into electrical impulses that your brain interprets as images such as straight lines and vivid hues like blue or green, as well as straight edges and other features like macula giving detailed central vision. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels leak blood under your retina causing damage to it as well as to macula quickly deteriorating eye sight quickly.

Laser surgery cannot treat wet AMD directly, but it may help slow its rate of vision loss. Lasers may be combined with photodynamic therapy or eye drops injected directly into the eye for maximum effectiveness.

Your healthcare provider may suggest this surgery if you have wet AMD with closely packed abnormal blood vessels or intermediate NVM from dry AMD. It may also be an appropriate course of treatment if early wet AMD is present if its neovascularization does not center the macula or involves both eyes.

This procedure should be performed at your healthcare provider’s office and usually results in no discomfort; however, your eye may feel sore for several days afterwards and must remain out of direct sunlight with dark glasses on.

As part of this procedure, your healthcare provider will use eye drops to dilate your pupils. Next, they will shine a laser onto any abnormal blood vessels under your retina that have formed blood clots due to light-sensitive medication in your eye, activating light-sensitive medicines that form blood clots to close off these abnormal vessels and form blood clots to stop further abnormal growth.

Once your procedure is complete, it’s important to schedule regular follow up with your healthcare provider. They will look out for new blood vessels beneath the retina as well as signs of wet AMD. If wet AMD is detected, medication injected directly into the eye may be prescribed to stop abnormal blood vessel growth and help protect vision from further loss.

Photodynamic Therapy

The retina is a paper-thin layer at the back of each eye that transmits visual signals to the brain, and contains millions of light-sensing rods and cones that allow us to read, drive, recognize faces and see in dim lighting. AMD breaks down these cells, leading to blurred vision and difficulty performing everyday tasks. An early indicator of AMD may be deposits beneath the retina known as drusen which do not cause vision loss but do indicate risk for advanced AMD which, once progressed into wet form can rapidly progress rapidly resulting in loss of central vision or legal blindness.

Wet AMD is more severe than dry ARMD, occurring when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak fluid (angiogenesis), eventually destroying its macula. Treatment options may include laser surgery or using medication called anti-VEGF therapy – blocking an amino acid known to promote new vessel growth – such as bevacizumab, ranibizumab or pegaptanib approved by FDA to treat wet AMD. Unfortunately however, such treatment may take months or years before any significant improvement in vision occurs.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a noninvasive procedure that utilizes photosensitizing drugs and specific light to kill tumor or diseased cells. PDT can help improve response rates as the drug attaches itself to precancerous and cancerous cells when exposed to certain lighting, activating molecules within them that destroy nearby tissue. PDT can be combined with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments as an additional measure to enhance treatment results; in addition it has proven successful against skin conditions like psoriasis and acne.

Researchers are conducting studies into the causes and progression of AMD to identify methods to prevent or slow its progress. Studies include evaluating how effective vitamins and minerals such as lutein and zeaxanthin are at protecting vision; additionally they look into how our eyes adapt with age in relation to macular degeneration.

Anti-VEGF Injections

Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak fluid, raising the macula from its normal location at the back of the eye and blurring central vision. Treatment often includes drug injections to suppress vascular growth and stop fluid leakage to slow vision loss – these medications are called anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs and may be recommended by your ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.). Your Eye M.D. may recommend these medications either first as initial wet AMD treatment, or as second step treatments against diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusion caused by other conditions like diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusion.

Bevacizumab and ranibizumab, administered via intravitreal injection, are two popular anti-VEGF medications used to preserve vision in wet AMD patients; often combined with photodynamic therapy or thermal laser treatment for maximum effectiveness. Unfortunately, they must be repeated frequently – sometimes as often as monthly in some patients- and may cause serious side effects including retinal bleeds and infection inside the eye.

Susvimo (ranibizumab implant), recently approved by the FDA, is an innovative medication which delivers anti-VEGF drug ranibizumab via port delivery system. It can be surgically implanted into eye during one procedure and refills are possible every six months; early studies indicate it could reduce injections required by those suffering wet AMD.

While these studies provide encouraging results, researchers are still striving to optimize therapy to minimize side effects. A study published by JAMA Ophthalmology indicated that patients receiving seven or more anti-VEGF injections within one year may be at greater risk for glaucoma than those who receive less injections of an anti-VEGF drug.

Some patients may need frequent adjustments in their treatment regimen based on the level of fluid in their eyes. A study from PANORAMA trial demonstrated how using higher doses of the medication Aflibercept (Eylea) reduced severe vision-threatening buildup while maintaining or even improving visual acuity in some patients with severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and minerals may help those experiencing dry AMD, an age-related form of macular degeneration characterized by yellow deposits known as drusen under the retina, to experience slower vision loss over time. Supplementing your diet with antioxidants, zinc and copper has been found to slow progression; check with your ophthalmologist about whether you qualify.

Researchers are trying to gain more insight into why and how this disease occurs so they can develop ways of preventing it. They are studying thousands of patients in studies like Age-Related Eye Diseases Study (AREDS), among others, in order to identify its earliest signs and understand its influence through genes, lifestyle factors and nutrition on its development.

Contrary to vitamins, which are mostly found in plant-based foods, minerals are inorganic elements essential for numerous processes in our bodies. While only very small amounts are required of each mineral for human wellbeing, excesses or deficiencies of certain minerals may lead to specific diseases like rickets (vitamin D deficiency), scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) or anemia (iron deficiency).

Not all mineral nutrients can be obtained through food sources alone; some must be supplemented. Nutritional supplements are often recommended to treat eye diseases like AMD; however, without guidance from both your ophthalmologist and primary care doctor they should only be taken under supervision. Harvard Medical School’s Special Health Report entitled Making Sense of Vitamins and Minerals offers helpful insight into achieving the appropriate balance of vitamins and minerals in your diet by outlining each nutrient’s Recommended Dietary Allowance as well as food sources of these essential elements – plus listing all their best sources while discussing why different food items can provide different amounts of each nutrient altogether.

UF Health experts are helping develop treatments for wet AMD that may convert it to less severe forms such as dry AMD; however, these therapies cannot reverse blindness that has already taken place. They are also exploring methods of preventing wet AMD such as encouraging regular physical activity and restricting smoking habits as possible prevention measures.