What are treatments for wet macular degeneration?

Answer 1

The macula is a tiny spot in the center of the retina. There are several layers of tissue that bring nutrients and oxygen to the macula and remove built up waste products. One layer of tissue is called the choroid layer - this is a layer of blood vessels that helps with the transporting in nutrients and removing waste. In wet macular degeneration new but abnormal blood vessels grow and instead of helping with this transport system, they actually are harmful. The reason for this is that these abnormal blood vessels are very tiny and fragile - meaning that they leak fluid.

Wet macular degeneration gets it's name because of this excess blood and fluid from leaky blood vessels.

This abundance of fluid builds up under the macula and raises it which is what causes the distortion of vision - straight lines become wiggly or wavy.

What causes these unusual blood vessels to develop? There is a term called angiogenesis which means "new blood vessels."

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a protein secreted by cells that are oxygen deprived. VEGF stimulates the growth of these abnormal blood vessels.

Healthy adults secrete very low levels of VEGF, while those who have health conditions such as cancer or age related macular degeneration secrete high levels of this protein.

Answer 2

There are two types of age related macular degeneration. Dry macular degeneration is the most common with a slower and usually least severe vision loss. Wet macular degeneration is less common and causes a more sudden and severe vision loss.

The macula is a tiny spot located in the center of the retina. It is responsible for sharp, detailed vision and for our straight ahead or central vision. Wet macular degeneration gets its name from the leaking of fragile, abnormal blood vessels that form under the macula. This leaking of fluid causes the macula to be lifted up or raised which results in the distortion of one's vision. Cone cells are damaged as well. Straight lines now appear wavy.

Other names for wet macular degeneration are choroidal neovascularization or exudative macular degeneration.

Answer 3

The two broad categories for discussing wet macular degeneration treatment are:

1. Conventional and Traditional Medicine

2. Complementary or Alternative Medicine

The most widely used conventional treatment for wet age related macular degeneration is anti-VEGF therapy. VEGF is a protein that its produced in response to lack of oxygen and promotes the growth of tiny, fragile blood vessels under the macula ( a tiny spot in the center of the retina). Normally we think of new blood vessel growth as a good thing - because the new vessels can bring in oxygen and nutrients and remove built up waste. However, in this case these blood vessels are abnormal. The walls are very fragile and instead of supplying the macula with nutrients they leak fluid. The fluid then builds up under the macula. So instead of lying flat, the fluid pushes it up. This causes vision to be distorted and also causes photoreceptor cells to die.

Anti-VEGF is a therapy that is given as an eye injection. The purpose is to prevent VEGF from making more blood vessels. The most common medicines that are used are Lucentis and Avastin. The frequency of the injections is determined by the retina specialist.

Answer 4

Dry macular generation is simply the atrophy of a layer of part of the retina, and is more common. Wet macular generation involves the growth of abnormal blood vessels in this area which leak blood, causing swelling.

Answer 5

Wet macular degeneration is an eye chronic eye disease, It causes vision loss in the center of your field of vision.