Effective Age Related Macular Degeneration Treatment
Finding effective age related macular degeneration treatment is an ongoing process. The disease, also called ARMD, comes in two different forms: dry (which is the less severe form and more common) and wet (which is much more damaging to the eye and can cause severe vision loss). Both types are incurable but there are some treatment options that are being tried to stop the progress of the disease and/or improve and remaining vision.
When a person has dry ARMD, his or her loss of vision is gradual and not extremely severe. There is no treatment available at this time other than wearing magnified glasses and always using bright lights when doing detail work or reading. Some eye specialists recommend that their patients take vitamin supplements such as C, E, beta-carotene, zinc and copper to help stop the progression of the disease.
For the more severe wet ARMD, doctors use a variety of techniques to diagnose it. Special charts and grids are sometimes used as well as retina imaging procedures. The doctor may use a fluorescein angiogram test. This procedure involves a injecting a dye into the patient's bloodstream after which the doctor takes photos at the back of the eye. The doctor may also use optical coherence tomography to see the extent of the macular degeneration below the retina.
If wet ARMD is diagnosed, treatment usually begins immediately. Some doctors start out by injecting drugs (like Lucentis) into the back of the eye. Studies indicate that certain drugs work to stop additional abnormal blood vessel growth. These drugs also tend to dry up and seal blood vessels that have already started to leak. For these drugs to be most effective, however, the disease needs to be diagnosed early before central vision has been permanently damaged.
Wet ARMD can also be treated by using laser photo-dynamic therapy. This treatment involves the injection of a light-sensitive dye which shows up when a special laser beam is focused behind the eye. The dye is activated by the laser, which is used to seal off leaking blood vessels.
Age Related Macular Degeneration treatment is available for ARMD patients. Once the disease is diagnosed, the eye specialist will make recommendations according to the type of ARMD that the patient has.
Matt writes more about age related macular degeneration treatment at http://www.dry-macular.com [http://www.dry-macular.com/agerelatedmaculardegenerationtreatment.html/]
When a person has dry ARMD, his or her loss of vision is gradual and not extremely severe. There is no treatment available at this time other than wearing magnified glasses and always using bright lights when doing detail work or reading. Some eye specialists recommend that their patients take vitamin supplements such as C, E, beta-carotene, zinc and copper to help stop the progression of the disease.
For the more severe wet ARMD, doctors use a variety of techniques to diagnose it. Special charts and grids are sometimes used as well as retina imaging procedures. The doctor may use a fluorescein angiogram test. This procedure involves a injecting a dye into the patient's bloodstream after which the doctor takes photos at the back of the eye. The doctor may also use optical coherence tomography to see the extent of the macular degeneration below the retina.
If wet ARMD is diagnosed, treatment usually begins immediately. Some doctors start out by injecting drugs (like Lucentis) into the back of the eye. Studies indicate that certain drugs work to stop additional abnormal blood vessel growth. These drugs also tend to dry up and seal blood vessels that have already started to leak. For these drugs to be most effective, however, the disease needs to be diagnosed early before central vision has been permanently damaged.
Wet ARMD can also be treated by using laser photo-dynamic therapy. This treatment involves the injection of a light-sensitive dye which shows up when a special laser beam is focused behind the eye. The dye is activated by the laser, which is used to seal off leaking blood vessels.
Age Related Macular Degeneration treatment is available for ARMD patients. Once the disease is diagnosed, the eye specialist will make recommendations according to the type of ARMD that the patient has.
Matt writes more about age related macular degeneration treatment at http://www.dry-macular.com [http://www.dry-macular.com/agerelatedmaculardegenerationtreatment.html/]
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