Macular degeneration

It is extremely important that your macular degeneration is diagnosed and treated early. If left for too long then it may not be possible to reverse the damage it will cause. That’s why it’s important you monitor your central vision with the Amsler grid and book an appointment as a matter of urgency if you notice vision changes.

If caught early, approximately 1 in 3 patients will see improvement in their vision and more than 90% will maintain their vision.

Depending on the type of macular degeneration you have, there are different treatments that can be used to help slow the progression of the condition and protect your vision from further damage. Although, symptoms can still return even after successful treatment.

Treatments can include a combination of different lifestyle changes, supplements, medication and even surgery.

At The London Clinic Eye Centre, we have specialist ophthalmic consultants and facilities to slow the progression of macular degeneration and protect your vision from further damage.

If you find out you have early AMD or wet or dry AMD, your doctor may recommend making some lifestyle changes to slow the progression of the condition. These include:

• refraining from smoking
• monitoring your blood pressure (and treating as necessary)
• leading a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise
• maintaining a healthy weight
• eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet high in dark leafy greens, yellow fruits, vegetables and fish

There is currently no treatment for dry AMD. However, some research has found that supplementing with a combination of vitamins and minerals may slow the progression of dry AMD. These include:

• vitamin C
• vitamin E
• zinc
• copper
• lutein
• xanthines
• β-carotene (except if you are a smoker as it can increase the risk of lung cancer)

Anti-VEGF injections can be used to prevent vision loss in wet AMD. VEGF is a protein produced by cells in your body that produces new blood vessels and causes fluid leakage. Anti-VEGF stops your body from developing new blood vessels and leaking fluid into the eye.Anti-VEGF therapy is administered directly into the eye using a fine needle. You will need to have the injections repeated regularly, though your doctor will advise of your treatment plan based on your condition.

Anti-VEGF recovery timeline & aftercare: You will be given lubricating eye drops after each treatment to ease any irritation in your eye. You will then be able to resume your normal activities shortly after the procedure. There may be some irritation from the antiseptic used but this will settle with time and the lubricants will help.Typically, anti-VEGF treatment can take a few weeks to a few months to produce any noticeable improvements.

Photodynamic therapy and laser photocoagulation use a laser to target, destroy and seal additional blood vessels in your eye. As a result, this is only a treatment option for wet macular degeneration. Your consultant may decide to combine this treatment with anti-VEGF injections.

If you have advanced dry macular degeneration that is severely affecting your vision, you may be recommended telescopic lens surgery.During this procedure, your surgeon implants a telescopic lens in your eye. A telescopic lens is a small plastic tube filled with lenses to magnify both your distance and close-up vision, though it has a very narrow field of view.This is typically performed as a day procedure, meaning you’ll be able to go home on the same day. The whole procedure typically takes between an hour to an hour and a half.

Telescopic lens surgery recovery timeline & aftercare: You will be sent home with antibiotic eye drops to prevent an infection in your eye and will then need to return to the clinic on a few occasions so that your doctor can assess your healing.However, you should expect to see a gradual improvement in your vision over the next few weeks and months.