What is the Best Treatment For Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration is an eye condition that affects central vision. This may cause blurriness, dark areas or distortion – not typically leading to blindness due to not impacting peripheral (side) vision.

Early stages of dry macular degeneration can be treated effectively with nutritional supplements such as Vitamin C, E, Lutein and Zeaxanthin as well as zinc and copper. Regular visits with your eye care professional are also advised.

Anti-VEGF Injections

An innovative treatment may greatly enhance the quality of life for many patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye condition characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth underneath the retina that results in bleeding and fluid leakage, ultimately leading to vision loss.

Most treatments for wet macular degeneration include monthly injections that inhibit new blood vessel growth. These drugs, known as VEGF blockers, work by inhibiting abnormal vessel formation that leads to macular edema. Intravitreal injection is used as an effective solution.

Ophthalmic medications can be effective, yet can come with side effects like increased eye pressure, cataract formation and retinal detachment – so some people choose not to receive injections. Laser photocoagulation uses light beams to damage retinal blood vessels and stop leakage or bleeding – however this treatment could potentially cause endophthalmitis complications as well.

Scientists are now developing new treatments that could lessen the need for anti-VEGF therapy. A team led by Dr. Anand Seth from Massachusetts General Hospital Ophthalmology Department presented findings at the American Society of Retinal Specialists meeting indicating that one-time gene therapy could provide superior clinical outcomes than current drug therapies in treating wet macular degeneration patients.

These scientists created a genetically modified mouse that did not produce VEGF, in order to study its behavior around retinal pigment epithelium cells that form macula. Their research indicated that mutant mice without alleles for VEGF produced less retinal vascular proliferation and fluid-leaking abnormal blood vessels than regular mice; it also decreased risks for retinal ischemia or macular edema development.

Researchers hope this new technique will allow doctors to utilize gene modifications on humans and test it in human eyes. If this proves successful, this may pave the way to creating one-time treatments for wet macular degeneration that reduce the need for monthly injections of anti-VEGF substances.

Visudyne

Age-related macular degeneration does not have a cure, but there are treatments to slow its progress and preserve vision loss. Regular eye exams as well as diagnostic tools like OCT scans and fluorescein angiography testing should be used to monitor eye health changes over time and detect any unexpected issues with vision health.

Macular degeneration is the deterioration of the macula, a small area in the retina at the back of your eye, that causes blurriness, dark areas or distortions to your central vision and makes activities that depend on this part of vision difficult or impossible – such as threading a needle and reading. While peripheral vision remains unchanged by macular degeneration, driving remains safe as can other everyday tasks such as reading.

Subretinal fluid leakage (SPL) is an eye condition that, left untreated, can lead to blindness in people over 50 in the United States. It occurs when light-sensitive cells in your retina stop working due to age or damage and it is the leading cause of blindness among them. SPL makes fine details difficult to see and colors difficult.

Macular degeneration comes in two forms, dry and wet. Ninety percent of those diagnosed with macular degeneration have the dry form, in which deposits known as drusen build up behind your retina. Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow under your retina and leak fluid or blood into the macula causing sudden and significant vision loss.

Visudyne is an anti-angiogenic drug designed to inhibit the formation of new blood vessels in your eye. Taken orally via injection in your arm, Visudyne travels throughout your body until reaching your eye where light from a laser activates it and targets abnormal vessels that lead to wet macular degeneration, targeting and destroying them, thus decreasing rates of vision loss in those suffering from this condition.

After administering Visudyne injections, it is vital to avoid direct sunlight and bright indoor lighting for five days in order to inactivate the drug and ensure optimal effectiveness of treatment. This will allow its antiviral and other benefits.

Eylea

Eylea is an innovative new injection treatment for wet macular degeneration that targets two disease pathways that lead to diabetic macular edema and neovascular age-related macular degeneration, making it more suitable than previous medicines in improving vision with fewer injections and treatments; making Eylea an attractive treatment choice for people who most require assistance.

FDA has approved it as the sole treatment for wet AMD, and it has been shown to significantly improve visual acuity in most patients with wet macular degeneration. It works by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which encourages abnormal blood vessel growth leading to wet AMD. Furthermore, it has also been shown to slow progression of macular degeneration; although not a cure.

Outside medication, there are some steps you can take to lower your risk of AMD. These include eating healthily, getting regular exercise and quitting smoking. Furthermore, visiting an eye doctor regularly for dilated eye exams can catch any early signs of macular degeneration before it progresses further.

Macular degeneration cannot be cured, but treatment options may slow its progress and halt further vision loss. Your eye doctor will provide tailored recommendations based on what type of macular degeneration you have.

If you have dry macular degeneration, peripheral vision remains relatively intact and magnifying devices can help you read, drive or perform other activities requiring near vision. If you have wet macular degeneration, however, medications and laser therapy may be used to treat leakage and bleeding associated with it; in addition a CentraSight implant – an artificial central retina designed to restore straight ahead viewing in detail may help – may help return many activities you were once capable of before your vision became blurry. This experimental procedure may only be available in certain places but it could help resume many activities from before your vision became blurry

Vitamins

Macular degeneration treatment should include an array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants clinically proven to slow its progress over time. Retinal specialists often suggest these powerful nutrients as dietary supplements for patients either currently suffering from macular degeneration or those at risk for it. Aside from taking macular degeneration vitamins regularly, patients should quit smoking, protect their eyes from UV rays by wearing large-brimmed hats and sunglasses while exercising regularly and attending annual eye exams as part of an effective macular degeneration treatment plan.

The National Eye Institute’s AREDS 2 study demonstrated that supplementing with vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin greatly reduced the chances of macular degeneration progressing into its advanced stage. Eating foods rich in these vitamins and minerals also has proven helpful in mitigating macular degeneration risk.

When treating dry macular degeneration, the AREDS 2 formula recommends 10mg of lutein daily for treatment. When seeking macular degeneration vitamins, it’s essential that people carefully read labels to ensure they contain 5 parts lutein to 1 part zeaxanthin; in addition, eating dark leafy greens, yellow and orange vegetables, fruits and other colorful foods is an effective way to obtain this crucial compound in their diets.

Macular carotenoids, also referred to as macular pigments, create a yellow spot at the centre of retina known as macula that filters out harmful blue light waves that damage eyes. Unfortunately, Western diets typically lack these macular carotenoids; therefore it’s essential that individuals consume a well-balanced, healthy diet with plenty of macular carotenoids from foods and vitamins containing appropriate amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin as recommended by AREDS 2. Please be aware that exceeding 10mg lutein could potentially be toxic; more research needs to be conducted regarding safe maximum daily amounts that can be consumed safely daily.