Macular degeneration is a progressive loss of central vision that affects 8 million Americans over 50. It occurs when new blood vessels form (neovascularization) under the retina and leak blood or fluid into its surroundings.

AMD may not have a cure, but medicines which suppress VEGF may slow its progress and even improve vision in some cases. Such drug therapies are known as anti-angiogenic therapies.

Anti-VEGF Injections

An injection designed to block blood vessel growth that leads to wet macular degeneration is highly effective in slowing vision loss associated with wet AMD, which occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and leak fluid, leading to blurry central vision and potentially permanent blindness in two years without treatment.

Bevacizumab and other anti-VEGF drugs help stop leaky blood vessel proliferation by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). They are administered via monthly eye injections with special medication, which are generally well tolerated without pain or discomfort; some potential side effects could include temporarily increasing intraocular pressure (IOP) and subconjunctival hemorrhages which could obstruct vision temporarily.

Effective, but time consuming: Vision loss treatment often requires monthly visits to their physician’s office or clinic for injections – which may prove challenging if you live far away. Missed appointments increase your risk of vision loss.

Frequent injections may have an adverse impact on IOP, leading to the need for surgery for glaucoma. A recent study demonstrated that those receiving seven or more bevacizumab injections annually are almost 2.5 times more likely to require surgical glaucoma treatment than those receiving less injections annually.

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have developed an OCT technique to monitor retina health, and when fluid no longer accumulates under it they can gradually wean patients off injections without losing vision. According to this study’s results, as many as one third of those suffering from wet macular degeneration could eventually stop injections altogether without experiencing vision loss; although this will vary depending on individual. These treatments could potentially include customized OCT dosing regimens and innovative delivery mechanisms – among other improvements being researched now.

Intravitreal Injections

This procedure is used to treat Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Medicine will be injected directly into your vitreous, which is the jelly-like substance inside of your eyeball. Your doctor will use a fine needle to administer the injection; although mild discomfort may arise during its delivery. The entire procedure takes only minutes!

Your doctor is likely to prescribe an anti-VEGF agent, a drug which inhibits the formation of new blood vessels in your eye. Anti-VEGF agents have proven particularly helpful in slowing progression of wet AMD. Common anti-VEGF drugs include ranibizumab (Lucentis) and aflibercept (Eylea).

These medications may help improve vision in many patients with wet macular degeneration; however, results will vary from person to person and it’s essential that you discuss what you can expect from treatment with your physician beforehand.

An intraocular injection is a safe and effective way of treating wet macular degeneration, and may even reduce the need for laser treatment. Like any medical procedure, however, an intraocular injection does carry risks: subconjunctival hemorrhage, increased floaters or eye pain may occur following intraocular injection; should any such symptoms appear seek medical advice immediately from your ophthalmologist.

Before receiving an injection, your health care provider will administer drops to widen (dilate) your eyes. Once comfortable, they will administer medicine into each eye – though you may feel pressure during this procedure but discomfort should be minimal. You will require someone else to drive you home after the procedure as your vision will likely remain clouded for up to six hours post injection; be sure to plan ahead or inquire whether your health insurance provides transportation assistance as a possible option.

Photodynamic Therapy

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects the macula of your retina. This region allows you to see fine details and perform everyday activities such as reading, driving and recognising faces and colors. With macular degeneration, central vision may become blurry or dark while straight lines appear crooked; however, macular degeneration typically does not lead to total blindness – your peripheral vision should usually remain normal.

Most people with macular degeneration suffer from dry AMD. With this form, small deposits known as drusen form under the retina. As they grow larger they can damage retinal tissue and lead to vision loss. There’s also wet AMD, where abnormal blood vessels grow under retina and leak blood and fluids into it – increasing your risk of going blind significantly.

If you suffer from wet macular degeneration, doctors can use photodynamic therapy to inject drugs that seal leaky blood vessels using photodynamic injection. Once these injections have taken effect, a special laser will be used by your physician to target leaky vessels.

At a doctor’s office, this procedure does not require being put under. Painless injections take only seconds to administer; you may require multiple sessions, depending on how your body reacts to medication.

A recent study published in April this year concluded that photodynamic therapy with verteporfin can significantly decrease vision loss from wet age-related macular degeneration by restricting new blood vessel growth below the retina. This research adds to a growing body of evidence which indicates some individuals living with wet AMD may be able to stop receiving monthly injections without experiencing further vision loss; these findings, however, remain preliminary and further studies may be required before doctors are able to set an exact timeline as to when patients can safely stop injecting their injections without further vision loss occurring; preliminary evidence that suggests this possibility remains uncertain at best; further studies will need be completed before doctors know exactly when patients can safely stop receiving injections safely without further vision loss occurring;

Laser Surgery

Wet macular degeneration is characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth below the retina and leakage of fluid that compromises central vision. While drugs may help curtail these abnormal vessels and stop leaks from forming, they do not act as a permanent solution and must be administered on an ongoing basis to remain effective. Visudyne (Photodynamic Therapy or PDT), one such drug available for this use was Visudyne; your eye doctor injects Visudyne medication into your eye before activating it using non-thermal laser light which destroys these abnormal vessels – about 15% of patients gain improved vision while slowing progression of macular degeneration over time.

photocoagulation laser surgery may also help treat wet macular degeneration. Your eye care provider uses a special lens and tool called a slit lamp to focus the laser light onto your retina, then dilates your pupil using eye drops so they have a better view inside of your eye before using the laser to create tiny spots that seal off blood vessels causing macular oedema under your retina – this procedure cannot restore lost eyesight but rather can slow its rate and stabilize your vision.

Under wet macular degeneration, patients may develop small tears near the retinal pigment epithelium that cause scar tissue formation known as CSR and lead to fluid accumulation beneath the retina – this condition is also referred to as retinal haemorrhage or buckle. There are two primary approaches for treating retinal tears: both involve using a probe containing freezing agents to apply pressure directly to each retinal tear and cause it to heal more quickly. One option, known as the bubble or buckle procedure, involves inserting a probe into your eye and surrounding each retinal tear with multiple small freezes. Another approach, known as scleral buckle surgery, involves implanting an implant that serves as a physical barrier between retinal fluid and your retina.