Are there any treatments for macular degeneration

Treatment There is currently no cure for AMD, and treatment efforts are directed at maintaining useful central vision for as long as possible. These drugs are injected into the vitreous cavity of the eye, reducing leakage from the blood vessels under the retina. Since this is not a cure, the majority of patients receiving these treatments will require life long therapy at monthly intervals. Photodynamic Therapy PDT is a specialised laser therapy combining injection of a photosensitive drug called Verteporfin into the blood stream followed by laser treatment.

Both work together to seal the leaky blood vessels without causing damage to other parts of the eye and this is particularly effective in treating in a variant of wet AMD called idiopathic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, commonly seen in Asian and Indians. For these patients, PDT may reduce the need for continuous treatment with injections as mentioned above. Laser Photocoagulation is a concentrated beam of high energy laser light, directed onto the retina, to seal the leaky blood vessels.

If this treatment modality is suitable, it may reduce the need for on going treatment with injections. Like to stay up to date? Subscribe for LEI updates and be the first to know. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Beovu may do a better job than other drugs of drying retinal fluid in patients with wet AMD.

Studies suggest this drug allows patients to go three months between injections. This drug is also being evaluated for macular edema. Another injectable medicine — Sunitinib by Graybug Vision — has the potential to give patients 6 months of durability between treatments. Sunitinab is just entering Phase 2B clinical trials. It may still be 3 to 5 years away from becoming available. About 8 out of 10 of people with AMD have the dry form. Dry AMD occurs when parts of the macula thin with age, and tiny clumps of protein called drusen grow.

You slowly lose central vision. Depending on severity, dry AMD is considered early, intermediate or late stage. For people with intermediate disease, a formulation of antioxidant vitamins called the AREDS2 formula can help reduce the risk of vision loss. But for people with late-stage AMD, also called geographic atrophy GA , there is no treatment available. However, there are several promising clinical trials underway. Two new drugs that target the complement cascade and stop it from attacking the retina have recently advanced to late-stage clinical trials.

One pegcetacoplan, APL-2 targets a complement protein called C3, the other drug candidate Zimura , avacincaptad pegol targets a different protein in the cascade, C5. Already proven safe in people, researchers are now investigating whether they can substantially improve vision. Macular Society: injections for wet AMD. A light is shined at the back of the eyes to destroy the abnormal blood vessels that cause wet AMD:.

Find out more about photodynamic therapy. Mukamal R. Promising new treatments for AMD. The American Academy of Ophthalmology. Updated Feb. Moorfields Eye Hospital. NHS Foundation Trust. Patient information anti-VEGF intravitreal injection treatment. Updated March, Yorston D. Anti-VEGF drugs in the prevention of blindness. Community Eye Health. Dunaief J. Update on the age-related macular degeneration drug pipeline. Bright Focus Foundation. Updated December 30, The Port Delivery System with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: Results from the randomized phase 2 ladder clinical trial.

Autologous induced stem-cell-derived retinal cells for macular degeneration. N Engl J Med. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.

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Table of Contents. Types of AMD. Clinical Trial Phases. Treatment for Wet AMD. Treatment for Dry AMD. What is the Purpose of Clinical Trials?