Treatment of Macular Degeneration

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Macular Degeneration Treatment

Age-related Macular Degeneration is a disease of the retina, thought to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The light-sensing cells of the macula (the central area of vision) deteriorate and eventually die. This causes blurred central vision or a complete blind spot in a sufferer's central vision. It is most common in people over 50, hence the age-related reference. Approximately 15 million Americans suffer with this disease and it is the leading cause of visual impairment in the over 60s. There are other obscure forms of macular degeneration which are mainly hereditary and rare.

There are two main types or stages of macular degeneration. Treatment is available in several forms to preserve the remaining vision and prevent any further loss of eyesight, although at present the damage already suffered cannot be reversed.

Dry Macular Degeneration
Dry or atrophic macular degeneration can be diagnosed by the build up of yellowish deposits in the retina. In a healthy eye this 'drusen' is normally carried away by the blood vessels which maintain the eye but in those with macular degeneration for some reason this process does not function. Environmental, dietary and behavioral factors are all thought to affect the progress of this disease.

There is no way currently to prevent or reverse the dry form of macular degeneration but certain steps can be taken to slow its progress. High doses of Vitamins A, C, E and the mineral Zinc have been show to be very effective in slowing down the progress of this disease. This can easily be incorporated into the diet in the following ways:

Wet Macular Degeneration
This type of macular degeneration is much less common than the dry form. It is diagnosed by newly formed, immature blood vessels developing rapidly from the choroids and leaking fluid underneath the macular, which is the space around the photoreceptor cells. This in turn damages the cells causing permanent loss of central vision. Wet macular degeneration often develops from the dry type of this disease.

Laser Treatment of Wet Macular Degeneration
This type of macular degeneration is usually treated with laser treatment which stops the leakage, at least temporarily.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is when a light sensitive drug called Visudyne is injected into the patient's bloodstream. The drug concentrates in the abnormal blood vessels beneath the macula. The light from a low-voltage laser is then used to activate the drug, closing off the abnormal vessels without damaging the macula.

Laser Photocoagulation is the process in which a high energy laser beam cauterizes the abnormal blood vessels. This treatment is particularly used when the abnormal blood vessels are not in the area of central vision, but only a small number of patients are actually suitable candidates for this, depending upon the amount of leakage, the location of the leaking blood vessels and the general health of the macula.

Non-Laser Treatment of Wet Macular Degeneration
Other non-laser treatment includes Macular Translocation when the macular is rotated into a healthier part of the retina. This process is used in rare circumstances when patients are suffering recent loss of vision and still have healthy tissue around the fovea, or central part of the macula. The surgeon is required during surgery to detach the retina, move the fovea away from the abnormal blood vessels and relocate it over healthy eye tissue. The abnormal vessels can then be removed and the fovea can function through the undamaged eye tissue.

Sub Macular Surgery involves actual removal of the leaking membrane. Unfortunately this has proved to have very limited value for those suffering from age-related macular degeneration.

Pharmaceutical Treatment of Wet Macular Degeneration
Current research into drug treatments is showing some encouraging success. Antiangiogenic Drugs are being developed to stop blood vessels from developing in the retina. The affected eye is numbed with an anesthetic and the drug is injected into the eye. These medications aim to stop or slow the blood vessels from growing, leaking or bleeding and causing damage to the macular. This treatment is repeated every six weeks to prevent any further vision loss, and is considered less damaging to the eye than the laser treatments.

Future Research and Development
Current research into stem cell treatments is underway and is so far proving to be an effective therapy in treating Wet Macular Degeneration. It is proposed to be a one-hour procedure which should be available to sufferers of age-related macular degeneration in the next few years.