Macular Degeneration Surgery
The main purpose of macular degeneration surgery is to prevent further loss of your straight ahead or central vision. First it is important to know that macular degeneration surgery does not cure macular degeneration nor does it necessarily restore lost vision. Wet Macular Degeneration Treatment Options This kind of surgery can sometimes be a decision you will have to make very quickly - depending on your situation. So if you have dry or wet macular degeneration it would be best if you find out now what the options are so that if you have to make a quick decision you will be ready.
Wet macular degeneration
is treated with macular degeneration surgery -
dry macular degeneration
is not.
Laser PhotocoagulationThis is the traditional form of laser therapy. Laser actually stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser therapy works by cauterizing the leaky blood vessels under the macula. By sealing off these vessels there is less chance of them leaking any further. Click here to read more about laser photocoagulation: Laser Photocoagulation Photodynamic Therapy
In 2000 the FDA approved the drug Visudyne, or verteporfin, to be used with photodynamic therapy. The exciting news about this macular degenertion therapy is that instead of using heat from a hot laser, the light from a cool laser closes off the leaky blood vessels. Why is this important? This therapy does not leave a person with a black hole resulting from a small burn on the
macula
from the hot laser. To read more about photodynamic therapy click here:
Photodynamic Therapy
Macular Translocation Surgery
If the leaky blood vessels are located directly under the
fovea
(the center of the macula) then macular translocation surgery may be an option for you. There are very few retinal surgeons who perform this macular degeneration surgery, but the few that do are very enthused about it. You may want to know what they have to say by clicking here:
Macular Translocation Surgery
Transpupillary ThermotherapyTranspupillary thermotherapy (TTT) is a procedure that uses heat from a lower powered laser to coagulate the leaky blood vessels. TTT uses the laser for longer periods of time and is designed to slowly heat the spot where the bleeding is occurring. Because it is using low heat, damage to the retinal pigment epithelium, a layer of the retina, is minimized. It is considered investigational as a treatment for choroirdal neovascularization. To learn more click here: Transpupillary Thermotherapy For More Information:Go from Macular Degeneration Surgery to Home Page 
Contact Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
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