Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is an age-related eye condition affecting older people. If you develop macular degeneration symptoms or are at risk of this condition, visit board-certified eye doctors Elias Aliprandis, MD, and Irene Rusu, MD, at Ophthalmology Associates of Bay Ridge. They specialize in diagnosing and treating macular degeneration to preserve your sight for as long as possible. Call the office in the Bay Ridge or Sheepshead Bay neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, to schedule a macular degeneration screening or request a consultation using the online booking form today.

What is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration causes progressive central vision loss. Symptoms include blurring that worsens and affects reading and driving. Sudden sight loss might occur if you develop bleeding. The primary risk factors are age, smoking, and family history.

As you age, the macula (central retina) may deteriorate at its bottom layer (retinal pigment epithelium or RPE). Waste products collect in the retina, forming deposits called drusen. As they multiply and the RPE thins, central vision becomes blurry and distorted.

This disease is called dry macular degeneration. Wet macular degeneration might develop if extensive tissue damage occurs under the retina, forming new blood vessels (choroidal neovascularization or CNV). CNV can cause bleeding under your retina that rapidly reduces central vision and can cause permanent scarring.

Macular degeneration vision loss is usually progressive. However, it can worsen suddenly if new retinal bleeding occurs. Unfortunately, dry macular degeneration sight loss is irreversible, but with treatment, it’s possible to improve vision in patients with wet macular degeneration.

How is macular degeneration diagnosed?

Macular degeneration diagnosis and screening might involve the following:

Central vision test
Your eye doctor uses an Amsler grid test to determine if you have central vision distortion.

Retinal exam
Ophthalmology Associates of Bay Ridge’s retinal specialist determines the extent of retinal changes caused by macular degeneration.

Diagnostic imaging
Your doctor performs an in-office fluorescein angiogram and an ocular coherence tomogram (OCT) to determine if you have wet or dry macular degeneration.

What macular degeneration treatments might benefit me?

Certain advanced stages of dry macular degeneration can now be treated with Syfovre®, a new drug that has been proven to reduce the progression of geographic atrophy. Additionally, a supplement with antioxidant vitamins and zinc reduces disease progression by 27%, according to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). These supplements include PreserVision® AREDS 2 Formula Eye Vitamins and SYSTANE® ICAPS® Eye and AREDS Vitamins.

Currently, multiple wet macular degeneration treatments can slow the disease’s progression. These include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors that can stop new blood vessel formation, leakage, and retinal bleeding.

VEGF drugs include Eylea®, Avastin®, and Vabysmo®. Your specially trained Ophthalmology Associates of Bay Ridge retinal specialist injects the drug into the side of your eye using a fine needle — a painless procedure taking just a few seconds. VEGF inhibitors have dramatically improved the team’s ability to lower wet macular degeneration vision loss.

Call Ophthalmology Associates of Bay Ridge to arrange a macular degeneration evaluation or schedule a consultation online today.