Macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss in adults. There’s no cure, but there are several treatment options to slow the progression.

Macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition that affects your vision. The main form is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the leading cause of blindness in people over 65 years old.

While there is no cure, there are treatment options to help slow the progression of this condition.

There are two main types of AMD:

Dry AMD: Most people with AMD have this type—80%–90%. Dry AMD happens when the macula, a small area in the center of the retina responsible for central or pinpoint vision, begins to thin, causing gradual vision loss.

Wet AMD: This type of AMD is less common but more severe. It’s caused when the blood vessels in the retina leak under the retina, causing vision loss that can happen very quickly.

Your treatment options will depend on the type of AMD you have.

Read on to learn more about treatment for AMD, what to expect, and how treatment may help slow its progression.

Here are the main treatment options for dry AMD:

Supplements

If you’re in the intermediate or later stages of AMD, a group of supplements called the AREDS2 formula may help slow the progression of AMD. AREDS2 supplements are not recommended for early AMD or for prevention in those without AMD.

These supplements include:

  • 500mg vitamin C
  • 400 IU vitamin E
  • 10mg lutein
  • 2mg zeaxanthin
  • 80mg zinc oxide
  • 2mg copper (as cupric oxide)

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT):

PBMT, also called low-level laser therapy (LLLT) or cold laser, is a form of light therapy using red and near-infrared (NIR) light to help stimulate macular cells in your eye so that your eye tissue grows, and you may have reduced pain and inflammation.

The treatment is noninvasive. During a therapy session, your doctor will shine the red and NIR light in your eye. As the cold laser sends light to the enlarged blood vessels around your retina, it stimulates the verteporfin to destroy the enlarged vessels.

Injectable medications

There are two newer injectable medications available to treat dry AMD, Syfovre and Izervay. They help slow the progression of geographic atrophy, the advanced stage of dry AMD. They work by slowing the formation of lesions or sores inside your eye around your retina.

The injections are also called intravitreal injections (IVI) because they are given into the vitreous humor, or gel-like fluid inside your eye. Your doctor will numb your eye and place a device that keeps you from blinking before using a very thin needle to inject the medication. It is not typically painful, but some people have described it as briefly uncomfortable. You’ll get these shots once a month.

There are two main treatment options for wet AMD:

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT)

Red and near-infrared (NIR) light to help stimulate macular cells in your eye to help stop the progression of wet AMD.

Injectable medications

Injectable medications may help slow the progression of AMD. These medications are known as anti-VEGF injections because they block the activity of a protein called the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This protein is partially responsible for vascular growth and blood leakage under and around the retina, and the abnormal growth and leaking continue.

These injections are typically not painful but may be briefly uncomfortable. Your eye is numbed and an instrument is placed to prevent you from blinking during the injection.

Macular degeneration, especially the age-related type, is one of the most common causes of vision loss in adults. While there is no cure for AMD, there are treatment options that can slow the progression of the condition and help preserve your vision longer.

Your doctor can help diagnose your type of AMD and help you choose the best treatment options.