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- What is ARMD?
- Symptoms of ARMD
- Causes of ARMD
- Prevention of ARMD
- Risk factors for ARMD
- Complications of ARMD
- When to see a doctor about ARMD
- Diagnosis of ARMD
- Conventional treatment of ARMD
- Alternative/complementary treatment of ARMD
- Living with ARMD
- Caring for someone with ARMD
Conventional treatment of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD)
Conventional treatment depends on the type of age-related macular degeneration:
Dry ARMD
The US National Eye Institute' s Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) has shown that taking certain antioxidants significantly reduces the progression of dry AMD to an advanced stage.
A large US study conducted by the National Eye Institute has confirmed that antioxidants can significantly reduce existing symptoms and prevent worsening of the condition in those people with dry ARMD (to a more worse wet macular degeneration). The study suggested that certain supplements may be of use to people with mild to moderate ARMD.
The antioxidants supplements recommended are:
Once dry AMD reaches an advanced stage it does not respond well to any type of treatment and vision loss ensues, which is why early treatment is vital to prevent deterioration of vision.
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Wet ARMD
There are four proven and two experimental treatments used to treat wet ARMD. Proven treatment means there is proven scientific backing through research, whereas experimental means that the treatment is not yet proven through comprehensive scientific studies and the dosage is not yet determined or it has too many side effects.
Proven treatments
- Lucentis - this is a medication with proven results where 70-80% of people injected had improvement of symptoms, or at least no deterioration; this medication must be injected into the eye at regular intervals; this treatment is available through the PBS in Australia; vision is maintain in the large percentage of people taking this drug
- Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) / Visudyne Therapy - this is a combined medication and laser treatment therapy, which uses a laser to activate the medication Visudyne which closes leaking blood vessels and stops progression of Wet AMD; a course of treatments is required with close monitoring of symptoms; AMD patients usually still have vision loss for up to 6 months after treatment, after which vision usually stabilises and does not deteriorate any further
- Laser photocoagulation - this treatments consists of a high energy thermal light (laser) directed into the affected eye(s) which seals and destroys the damaged blood vessels; this is not a painful procedure; close monitoring is require after the procedure as re-occurrence of AMD occurs in about 50% of people
- Retaane - this is an angiostatic cortisone derived from a steroid, but modified so that it causes less side effects; this medication is inserted into the back of the eye through a small tube but it needs to be repeated every 6 months; as this is not yet on the PBS and has a high cost associated with it
Experimental treatments
- Avastin - this medication has similar effect to Lucentis; it is regularly injected into the eye (after it has been prepared and numbed) but there is not enough research to prove how safe or effective it is and how long treatment must be given; it was originally used as a cancer treatment and discovered to have some benefits for AMD
- Triamcinalone - this medication is a slow release steroid which has been used experimentally in conjunction with other proven treatments; it needs to be injected into the eye and its effects last for several months; it appears to increase the risk of glaucoma development and other side effects with repeated use
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