Associated Vision Consultants

Associated Vision Consultants Now Offers New Treatment Which Promises Help for Many Patients With Macular Degeneration

A procedure called Ophthalmic Photodynamic Therapy was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It promises to help many people who are in the early stages of “wet” macular degeneration. “Wet” macular degeneration results when abnormal blood vessels develop in the eye and leak fluid or blood, blurring central vision. There is also “dry” macular generation caused by the aging and thinning of the tissues of the macula. Both types are age-related, found mostly in those over age 60. The best candidates for the new photodynamic therapy are those in the early stages of “wet” macular degeneration. Patients are evaluated with an office procedure called fluorescein angiography to determine if treatment is possible

The new system, Visudyne , now in use at Associated Vision Consultants, consists of an intravenous dye injection followed by a specific type of laser treatment. The dye (Verteporfin) is infused into the patient’s arm for exactly 10 minutes, then after a wait of 5 minutes, a red (689 nm) diode laser is used to activate the dye, which has accumulated in the area of macular degeneration. This causes the abnormal vessels to close and disappear leaving no damage to the retina. Lasers used in the past coagulated the leaking vessels but also left a scar on the retina. The new procedure allows greater accuracy that ever before and eliminates scarring. The procedure is done in the office and takes about 45 minutes. After the procedure patients are advised that the dye sensitizes the entire body to light, and that they must stay out of sunlight for 5 days following the procedure. Some patients may require 3 or 4 treatments approximately 3 months apart for the procedure to be successful. This new procedure is the most exciting advance in treatment of macular degeneration since the first laser became available in the late 1960’s .

If you have macular degeneration please contact us to find out if you are a candidate for this new treatment.

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