Macular Degeneration Surgery: Symptoms, Classification, Diagnosis & Recovery

There is no special macular degeration treatment for dry AMD as it does not have any effect on side vision and it does not cause total blindness. But the progression of the disease can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. It is proved that taking specific high-dose formulation of antioxidants and zinc decreases the risk of advanced AMD and the vision loss.

But in some cases, when the patients have advanced dry macular degeneration, Surgery can be done to implant a telescopic lens in one eye. This helps in improving both distance and close-up vision.

Some macular degeneration treatment options help slow down vision loss associated with wet AMD. These include:

1.Laser surgery

It is used to destroy abnormal blood vessels within the retina. A high beam of light is directed onto the blood vessels to destroy them. This treatment is effective in slowing vision loss in patients who have developed new blood vessels away from the cornea.

2.Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

injections are prescribed to prevent abnormal blood vessels. Over expression of VEGF can cause vascular disease in the retina of the eye; which is inhibited by the anti- VEGF drugs that control or slow those diseases. Drugs which are classified as anti-VEGF drugs include aflibercept, bevacizumab, and ranibizumab.

3.Photodynamic laser therapy (PDT):

This involves laser treatment for selected areas of the retina. Your physician administers a drug called verteporfin into the vein of your arm. The drug travels the blood vessels and is absorbed by new blood vessels. Then, a low-power laser light is applied to the newly grown blood vessels; which activates the drug present in the blood vessels.

Once activated, the drug slows the growth of new blood vessels and slows the rate of vision loss.

The physician will prescribe eye drops to keep your eyes moisturized after the macular degeneration treatment. This also helps in preventing the infection after surgery. It takes nearly three to six weeks to heal after the AMD treatment.

Risks and complications

Laser therapy damages some of the nerve cells in the macula which may cause vision loss.