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Age-Related Macular Degeneration - Surgery

Wet AMD

Thermal laser photocoagulation surgery is used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). But this surgery is an option for less than one-fourth of people who have wet AMD.⁴ Whether your AMD can be treated by laser photocoagulation surgery or other surgery depends on the location and development of abnormal blood vessels under the retina.

Surgery does not cure wet AMD, but it can sometimes slow down or prevent further loss of central vision. Without treatment, vision loss from wet AMD may progress until a person has no central vision left. Early surgery is vital to slowing down vision loss, which can be rapid.

Recommended Related to Macular Degeneration

There is no cure, but age-related macular degeneration treatments may prevent severe vision loss or slow the progression of the disease considerably. Several treatment options are available, including: Anti-angiogenic drugs. These medications -- injected into the eye -- block the development of new blood vessels and leakage from the abnormal vessels within the eye that cause wet macular degeneration. This treatment has been a major change in the treatment of this condition and many patients...

By the time many people are diagnosed with wet AMD, it is often too late for surgery to provide much benefit. Even with treatment, many people will still go on to lose more of their central vision.

Dry AMD

Currently, surgery is not used to treat dry AMD. Laser surgery to remove deposits called drusen may slow vision loss in people with dry AMD, but experts think that it may increase the chance of developing wet AMD. Researchers are currently doing studies to see if this is an effective treatment.¹

Surgery Choices

The only surgical method for treating wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) is laser surgery, or laser photocoagulation.

What To Think About

Laser surgery can result in some loss of central vision, because the laser cannot burn the abnormal blood vessels under the macula without also burning some of the normal nerve cells in the macula. But while your vision may be worse right after surgery, it may be less likely to continue to get worse than if you did not have the surgery.

AMD does not cause the same amount of vision loss in everyone who has the disease. It is often hard to know in advance whether laser surgery will do more harm than good.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: August 04, 2009

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.