Macular Degeneration Treatment: Anti-Angiogenic Therapy
When we treat patients suffering from macular degeneration, it's our goal to halt vision loss or at least slow it down considerably. Doing so will help ensure continued quality of life and better vision in the process. We always strive for less invasive therapies as these can actually have dramatic effects without the need for any operations or potential surgical complications.
One option that we may consider to address wet macular degeneration at our Los Angeles eye surgery center is antiangiogenic treatment. You may not be familiar with what this is or it entails, so we'd like to take a few moments right now to go over the basics.
About Wet Macular Degeneration
Wet macular degeneration is the rarer form of macular degeneration, affecting about 10% of people who suffer from the condition. During wet macular degeneration, patients experience abnormal growth of blood vessels. These blood vessels leak and bleed below the macula, which is the central portion of the retina, causing permanent and irreversible damage to a person's vision.
Wet macular degeneration is painless and might be difficult to detect until later in life, which is why it's important to visit your doctor or our Beverly Hills ophthalmology center as soon as you notice any loss in the central portion of your vision.
What is antiangiogenic treatment?
Antiangiogenic treatment refers to the use of drugs that will help stop the growth of new blood vessels. This antiangiogenic treatment has not only been used in treating macular degeneration, but also cancer and tumors as well.
Why is antiangiogenic treatment ideal for wet macular degeneration?
Since wet macular degeneration is caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels, controlling their growth helps ensure that the condition does not progress. When considering all possible options for Los Angeles macular degneration, we'll often consider such options along with lifestyle changes that a patient can make to halt progress of the vision loss.
Best Candidates for Antiangiogenic Treatment
The best candidates for antiangiogenic treatment are people who suffer from wet macular degeneration. Those who have dry macular degeneration (the more common form of the condition) will be better served using other therapies.
How Antiangiogenic Treatment Will Work
There are different kinds of antiangiogenic drugs available, such as Lucentis, Eylea, and Avastin. These drugs will be introduced into the vitreous humor of the eye in order to prevent blood vessel growth. Regular/repeat injections will be necessary, and our ophthalmologist in Beverly Hills will determine which drug or combination of drugs will be the best for you and your needs.
Other Options for Treating Wet Macular Degeneration
For patients dealing with wet macular degeneration who do not respond well to antiangiogenic therapy, special laser surgery may be used in combination with drugs in order to manage blood vessel leakage and growth. We can discuss a treatment plan with you in greater detail during the consultation process.
Learn More About Advanced Eye Care Treatment
For more information about antiangiogenic treatment and other options available to address macular degeneration, it's important that you contact our Beverly Hills retina care and ophthalmology center today. We will be sure to go over all of your treatment options in full detail and answer any and all questions that you may have about these various therapies. We want every patient to make confident and empowered decisions.