Wet Macular Degeneration

Info_lover | May 3, 2010 |

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Wet (neovascular) macular degeneration is one type of macular degeneration, and dry macular degeneration being the other. Wet and dry macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss worldwide, especially for people in the age group of 50 and above. Fortunately, macular degeneration does not result in total blindness as it does not affect the patient's peripheral vision. Approximately 10% of patients who suffer from macular degeneration have wet macular degeneration. Risk factors for this eye disease are aging, family history, high cholesterol levels, obesity and constant exposure to sunlight.

Patient with wet macular degeneration develop new blood vessels under the retina. It is called wet because of the new and leaky blood vessels that grow in the choroid layer of the retina. However, the new vessels can be very delicate and can break easily, causing possible bleeding and damage to surrounding eye tissue. This can result in hemorrhage, scar tissue and swelling but it can be treated with laser in some cases. Generally, macular degeneration wet form results in more vision loss than the dry form.

Wet macular degeneration symptoms include:

Experience difficulty in reading stuff or performing tasks one to see in greater detail
Distorted vision in which edges of an object can appear to be bent or wavy
Sudden decrease of central vision

Because of sudden and severe vision loss brought about by wet macular degeneration, seeking early and effective treatment is imperative and important. Early diagnosis is critical for successful treatment of wet macular degeneration. Until recently, no effective medications were available for wet macular degeneration treatments. However, new drugs known as anti-VEGF (anti Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) agents can cause regression of growth of the abnormal blood vessels and bring about improvement of vision when injected directly into the vitreous humor of the eye. Such wet macular degeneration injections can be painful and frequently have to be repeated on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. The costs of such treatment for wet macular degeneration can range from US$150-US$2000.

Recently, a new therapy method called Photodynamic therapy has also been used to treat patients and has proven to be effective in stopping abnormal blood vessel growth. This new type of laser treatment is far less damaging than traditional laser photocoagulation method and is rapidly gaining popularity among macular degeneration patients.

Ultimately, early detection is critical and you can do your part by constantly monitoring your vision at home with an Amsler grid.