Macular degeneration involves the slow destruction of the retina. The macular is the part of the retina which is responsible for a person being able to see details. People suffering from macular degeneration are often unable to drive a vehicle and may also experience trouble reading, especially fine print. There are several treatment options available for macular degeneration. However, only some types of macular degeneration are reversible, and only to some extent.
There is very little known about macular degeneration treatment as compared to glaucoma treatment or astigmatism. Treatment options, when possible, for macular degeneration slow down the disease rather than eliminate it altogether. Thus, most doctors and patients main plan is to keep the vision loss to the minimum by keeping the astigmatism to a minimum.
Dry macular degeneration
There are two main types of the disease. Dry macular degeneration is an early form of the disease. It results when the macular tissue gets weak. It causes some vision loss, but is generally associated with vision being afflicted with blind spots. This too can be dangerous, but not to the same extent. There is no cure or treatment currently available for dry macular degeneration. However, if an individual is diagnosed, consuming Vitamins A, C and E are generally thought to slow down the progress of the disease. Dry macular denegation is generally not that dangerous, however it can lead to general muscle atrophy in your eyes which can cause vision loss.
Wet macular degeneration
Wet macular degeneration is the less common yet more advanced level of macular degeneration. 10 percent of dry macular degeneration eventually turns into wet macular degeneration. It is the type of the disease, new blood cell start growing underneath the retina. They leak blood and fluid, causing vision loss.
Treatment
There are several treatment options available for wet macular degeneration. It usually depends on how advanced the case of the disease is.
One option is laser surgery. It destroys the red blood cells under the retina in order to stop more vision loss. While it is usually not a permanent solution, and the procedure needs to be repeated several times, for many it is the best option.
Another option is photodynamic therapy. This is a complex procedure where a drug is pumped into your system, through veins in your arm. It travels to the harmful blood vessels in the eye and sticks there. In the next step, a light is shone directly on the eye, which activates the drug. The drug then destroys the vessel. Unlike the laser surgery, there is less chances of there being tissue damage. However, as the drug is light activated, the patient has to be careful to avoid bright light.
A new third option has also come about. This option involves sending drugs directly into the eye via injections. The eye is generally numbed for this procedure. While the process usually involves monthly injections, it does have one thing in its favour. Unlike the treatments mentioned above, this treatment can restore vision to some degree, thus causing macular degeneration to be reversible.
There are quite a few clinical trials for new treatments on both wet and dry macular degeneration taking place. However, there are still in preliminary stage. Thus, the best option for most people is to take precautions to protect themselves from the disease as the cure is not yet available. If your age makes you at risk for macular degeneration, it is essential to check the other risk criteria. These include obesity and smoking. Moreover, some researchers have noticed some genetic tendency towards macular degeneration.
If you feel that you are risk for macular degeneration or are experiencing vision loss, it is important to visit a doctor immediately. Macular degeneration is generally a pain free disease, and thus symptoms are not always overt. However, people suffering from the disease could put themselves and others at risk by taking part in activities such as driving, especially at night. Thus, it is better to get yourself immediately tested for macular degeneration, astigmatism and glaucoma treatment at the first sign of trouble so you can get the treatment you need before the disease gets out of control and more severe treatment methods are necessary.
Author Resource:-
Kate Dawson writes articles for optegra, who offer a variety of eye surgeries to treat conditions such as macular degeneration or cataracts. A common glaucoma treatment nowadays is laser eye surgery. This can be a great success and the procedure is extremely fast so patients could leave a clinic within hours. Astigmatism can affect every day life in a negative way and often people choose surgery to improve their vision significantly and permanently.
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