Macular Degeneration Treatment

About the Procedure

Macular degeneration is a common condition affecting the vision of people over the age of 50. The macula is a specific region at the center of the retina. This small region, no larger than a centimeter in diameter, has the highest concentration of photoreceptors of any part of the retina. It provides most of the vision in your central field of view and is responsible for all fine, precise vision. As such, people suffering from macular degeneration suffer from extremely blurry vision and often lose the ability to identify anything with fine details (such as a human face).

Macular degeneration presents in one of two different ways. One is referred to as “dry” macular degeneration. Over time, cell debris from dying cells, called drusen, builds up on the macula. This build up results in damage to the macula that cannot be repaired. While there are medications that can be taken to slow the rate at which a person's vision will degrade due to this condition, no actual treatment or cure exists. The severity of the symptoms vary by patient. In some cases the blurring of vision is mild and the patient may still be able to perform everyday functions without assistance. In other patients, the condition may cause near total blindness.

The other form is neo-vascular or “wet” macular degeneration. This occurs when aberrant blood vessels form in large numbers behind the macula. As these vessels leak or grow in size they damage the macula, causing the same vision loss as the dry variant. Unlike the dry variant however, wet macular degeneration can be treated.

The most proven form of treatment currently available is the administration of anti-angiogenic agents into the eye. Such agents shrink and kill the newly formed blood vessels, allowing the macula to function properly. This process is not capable of reversing the damage already done to the macula but it does prevent further damage. Improvement of vision is common but not guaranteed and it is exceedingly rare for full vision to be restored after this process.

The procedure is fairly simple. First, the ophthalmologist will dilate the patient's pupil. Then the eye will be numbed. Finally, the anti-angiogenic will be injected into the vitreous humor of the eye. The entire process typically takes 10-15 minutes.

Studies show that in order to maintain results, the procedure must be repeated every 4-6 weeks depending on the patient's needs. While this treatment has been shown to give positive results for people suffering from wet macular degeneration it is worth noting that only 10% of all people with macular degeneration suffer from the wet variety. The overwhelming majority of patients experience the dry kind which is incurable.

What to Know Before the Procedures

The ophthalmologist performing the procedure will want to do an examination of your eye before the procedure to determine the pressure levels within. This will be used as a baseline for comparison after the procedure to ensure that pressure has not been greatly altered, which could lead to internal damage of the eye. A digital image is often taken beforehand as well, again as a reference to be used to compare against a second image that will be taken afterwards to gauge the effectiveness of the treatment.

What to Know After the Procedure

Immediately after the procedure the ophthalmologist will check the patient's eye again to see the results and to make sure pressure levels are within healthy tolerances. Based on this, they will recommend how long it should be until the next treatment.

Depending upon how smoothly the injection went, you may notice a red spot on your eye. This is just blood from a vessel pierced by the needle on the way in and will most likely go away within a couple of days. In rare cases, if a particularly big vessel is pierced it can actually cause swelling and discoloration around the eye as well. This usually subsides after a week and is nothing to be alarmed about.

Be sure to monitor your vision after the procedure. Take note of how much your vision improves, if at all, and how long it takes for your vision to begin to degrade again. This information can help your doctor determine the best treatment schedule for you.

If you Need to Travel Outside of your Local Hospital

The procedure itself is fairly simple to perform and as such, there are many ophthalmologists domestically and abroad who are well qualified to perform it. Depending on the agent your doctor thinks is best to use however, the cost can range from as little as $150 per treatment to $2,000 per treatment. This potentially high cost makes foreign travel attractive, however many people will not have time in their schedule to travel abroad once every month. Short-distance travel may be a much more appropriate choice if there is a significant cost savings involved. The repeated nature of this treatment should be a primary factor in choosing the right travel option.