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Your ophthalmologist has chosen to treat
your age-related macular degeneration, or AMD,
with injections of specialized medication.
If your form of AMD, called the wet form,
is left untreated,
it's likely that you will lose much of your central vision.
Fortunately,
medication injections may help to slow
the progression of the disease,
and in some instances, improve your vision.
To understand how AMD affects your vision,
it's important to understand how the eye works.
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Light rays enter the eye
through the cornea, pupil, and lens.
These light rays are focused on the retina,
the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye.
The retina has two areas:
the peripheral retina,
which gives us our side or wide-angle vision,
and the macula,
the small area at the center of the retina.
The macula gives us our pinpoint vision,
allowing us to see detail clearly.
In the wet form of AMD,
abnormal blood vessels begin to grow
under the retina behind the macula.
These blood vessels leak blood or fluid
which blurs or distorts central vision.
Your ophthalmologist will treat your wet AMD
with a class of medications called anti-VEGF therapies.
This medication works by blocking a substance
known as vascular endothelial growth factor
or VEGF.
VEGF helps abnormal blood vessels grow
under the retina.
These treatments can help slow the growth
of these abnormal blood vessels
and reduce their leakage.
This medication can also reduce
swelling of the macula,
which may lessen vision loss, or in some cases,
even improve your vision.
Your ophthalmologist will determine
how many injections you need over a period of time.
To prepare for your medication injection,
your ophthalmologist will numb your eye
with anesthesia to reduce discomfort
during the injection.
Your pupils may also be dilated or widened
with dilating eye drops.
The anti-VEGF medication is injected into the vitreous
or jelly-like substance in the center of your eye.
You may feel pressure or a slight sharp pain
in your eye when the medication is injected.
It is important to remember that this medication
cannot cure AMD.
Although some people may regain some of their vision,
for others, the medication might not restore vision
that has already been lost.
And there is the possibility that for some people,
the medicine may not stop further vision loss from AMD.
As with any medication or procedure,
there are potential risks, side effects, and complications
with anti-VEGF treatment.
These may include eye pain,
bloodshot eye,
inflammation or swelling of the eye,
visual disturbances such as small specks in the vision
called vitreous floaters,
retinal detachment,
clouding of the lens of the eye or cataract,
increased pressure in the eye, called glaucoma,
damage to the retina, cornea, or lens,
bleeding in the eye,
eye infection,
vision loss,
and the need for more treatment,
including medication and surgery.
Though it is very rare,
it is possible for some people
using anti-VEGF medications
to have a stroke, hemorrhage, or heart attack.
Tell your ophthalmologist if you've had
a heart attack or stroke within the last few months.
Any or all of these complications
may decrease your vision
or possibly even cause blindness.
Additional procedures may be needed
to treat these complications.
You do not have to be treated for your wet AMD.
However, without treatment,
AMD can lead to further vision loss,
sometimes very quickly.
Other forms of treatment may be available
for your case of wet AMD.
These options could include
other types of anti-VEGF medication,
steroid medications, or laser surgery.
Your ophthalmologist can explain
why he or she chose a particular course of treatment
for your condition.
Be sure to keep all your appointments
with your ophthalmologist after treatment, and also,
if you have any changes in your vision,
you should call your ophthalmologist right away.
Monitoring your vision is a vital step
towards the goal of preserving your sight.
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