OPTIONS FOR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION TREATMENT
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a troubling disease usually found in people over age 50. In most cases, it affects both eyes and progresses very slowly. The main symptom is loss of central vision. Activities that require central vision – reading, driving and watching TV – are most affected.
Age-related macular degeneration does not lead to blindness because peripheral vision is unaffected. Ninety percent (90%) of patients have “dry” macular degeneration. This form is slowly progressive and patients rarely suffer from severe vision loss. There is often little that can be done. Fewer patients suffer from the “wet” form. Fewer than 10% of all patients develop wet age-related macular degeneration. Substantial loss of central vision may occur in only a few weeks or months.
ANTI-VEGF Medications
Anti-VEGF macular degeneration treatment is a way to slow vision loss in people who have “wet” age-related macular degeneration. These simple injections are performed right here in our office by our retinal specialist. Anti-VEGF macular degeneration treatment is a step forward in wet age-related macular degeneration treatment because it targets the underlying cause of abnormal blood vessel growth. This treatment is offering new hope to thousands of people diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration.
In some cases, we may recommend combining anti-VEGF treatment with other therapies. The right macular degeneration treatment for you will depend on the specific condition of your macular degeneration.
The board-certified and fellowship-trained ophthalmology doctors at Brazosport Eye Institute (BEI) are expert in macular degeneration treatment and management of macular degeneration, which is essential to preventing or slowing central vision loss. Successful treatment relies on early detection and regular follow-up exams.
Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT)
We are only the second eye care center in Texas to use the latest implantable miniature telescope for the treatment of AMD. The IMT, which works very much like the telephoto lens of a camera, received FDA approval in 2010.
As with cataract surgery, the procedure involves replacing the lens with the IMT. The tiny telescope is implanted behind the iris, the colored, muscular ring around the pupil. Though IMT doesn’t cure AMD, it does help improve the vision of patients so they can resume their favorite activities and live independently. FDA guidelines require potential candidates to be 75 or older, have irreversible dry AMD and no longer candidates for drug treatment. The guidelines also exclude people who have had previous cataract surgery.
To learn more about the latest age-related macular degeneration treatment, call Brazosport Eye Institute at 979.297.2961. You can also schedule your consultation by filling out our online Request an Appointment form. Our macular degeneration patients visit us from Lake Jackson, Freeport, Angleton, Pearland (Brazoria County, TX) and Bay City (Matagorda County, TX).
