Typically, wet AMD usually begins as the dry jot down.
It takes place if new blood vessels grow behind the retina.
Buildup of drusen can cause blurring and distortion of vision, or dry macular degeneration.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
When these changes occur, the condition progresses to wet AMD.
Wet AMD is also called exudative macular degeneration.
Exudative AMD can cause profound central vision loss as scarring can develop.
The earlier macular degeneration is diagnosed, the better the outcome for the patient.
Based on risk profiles, eye doctors may recommend seeing certain patients more often so changes can be detected.
Instead of once per year, sometimes these patients are placed on quarterly appointments throughout the year.
There are manyteststhat eye doctors can order to help detect the disease.
However, recent research is showing that eye doctors should not take their sights off of the peripheral retina.
Delayed dark adaptation may be a diagnostic marker for macular degeneration.
The disadvantage is that while the laser may stop the leak, it also destroys healthy tissue.
VEGF is the trigger in causing leaky vessels.
It can promote the growth of new, weak blood vessels in the area behind the retina.
Those vessels leak blood, lipids, and serum into the retina.
This hemorrhaging causes scarring in the retina and reduced vision.
The anti-VEGF compound is injected directly into the eye every one to three months.
This intraocular shot reduces or stops the growth of new blood vessels and keeps the retina dry.
Anti-VEGF treatment has revolutionized the treatment of wet AMD.
Research is focused on the long-term consequences of these injections.
The larger problem with anti-VEGF treatment is cost.
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