Conventional Treatment:
At the present, there is no effective treatment. Some causes of macular degeneration are treated with laser surgery, but the treatment itself may not effectively seal up a leaky blood vessel without at the same time permanently destroying retinal nerve fibers that pass through the area. According to the National Eye Institute, laser treatment can actually worsen vision, and any ability to slow the progression of disease does not appear until at least a year after surgery.
On April 12th, 2000 , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Visudyne Therapy to be used on a trial basis for treatment of wet macular degeneration. This procedure has been shown on a trial basis to be less damaging than laser treatments in its ability to target abnormal blood vessels, and avoid damaging retinal cells. Only patients who are currently enrolled in clinical trials sponsored by QLT and CIBA
Vision are eligible for treatment at this time. Patients and practitioners seeking additional information may view the web site at www.Visudyne™.com, call the
patient/practitioner hotline In North America, 1-800-821-2450, or visit www.photodynamic.net for practitioners who use this therapy near you..
As always, prevention is the best medicine. Using complementary medicine to try to address the underlying cause of macular degeneration, along with traditional medicine to try to prevent damage on an acute basis, is the best approach to preserving vision both short and long-term. Since less than one-percent of those with macular degeneration have progressed to the point of legal blindness, most are in a position to benefit greatly from prevention.
Complementary Treatment and Recommended Products
See these Updated Essential Nutrients for Macular Degeneration
