Macular degeneration treatment

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world, and is the number one cause of blindness in the older population in the Unted States. There is treatment for some of the forms of macular degeneration, and there are a few preventative measures that people can employ as well.

Patients with wet macular degeneration, where bleeding is occuring under the retina, may benefit from medications that are injected into the eye. These medications, known as anti-VEGF's, cause the abnormal bleeding vessels to shrink down and stop bleeding. These medications may not only stop the vision loss, but may actually lead to an improvement in vision in many patients. Injections usually need to be repeated several times to bring about reduction of swelling and bleeding. These injections may take several months to complete, and improvement in vision may take much longer.

Several surgical options have been used in the past, including removal of the leaking blood vessels, and use of laser to shrink them. Unfortunately, these options often cause severe immediate decreases in vision.

Patients with risk factors for macular degeneration will benefit from vitamins that follow the AREDS study, and will also benefit from the use of sunglasses and hats to prevent exposure to ultraviolet light.

Dr. William Goldstein helps patients with vision problems such as macular degeneration maintain good vision. Call for an appointment, 586-323-2020, or go to www.2020vision.com for more information