Macular Degeneration Medication

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease that is not curable. However, there are different types of macular degeneration medication that patients can receive to treat the condition. As the world's population ages and the number of cases is on the rise, a lot of research is being done to treat AMD. Many AMD medications have appeared on the market only recently.

One new type of macular degeneration drugs is called anti-angiogenics. A doctor injects them directly into the vitreous of the eye. Anti-angiogenics target the damaged blood vessels in the patient's retinal area. The medication slows or stops the vessels from bleeding, leaking, or growing. The damaged vessels are what spread the disease.

The drugs currently being used for anti-angiogenic injections are called ranibizumab (Lucentis®) or bevacizumab (Avastin®). The injections have to be repeated on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to treat the condition and prevent the loss of vision. This form of treatment is expensive but has been shown to help preserve patients’ vision.

One great benefit of anti-angiogenic drugs is that they cause less damage to the retina than treatments involving lasers. Side effects to the drugs may include scratchiness in the eyeball and redness. Other drugs used to help treat AMD include Visudyne and Macugen.
More macular degeneration drugs are in the pipeline, in developmental and clinical stages. The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved them. One new type of drug in development is called visual cycle modulators. In clinical studies, visual cycle modulators have shown the ability to slow the visual cycle in AMD.

The eyes' visual cycle is the conversion of a photon into an electrical signal in the retina, which involves cones and rods. By selectively modulating the visual cycle to first protect rod cells, the hope for these drugs is that the patient’s can be preserved.

AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. and is estimated to affect nearly 30 million people worldwide. There is a significant amount of macular degeneration research and drug development occurring. Due to the rising levels of smoking in developing countries, rising levels of obesity, and aging of the world’s population, the number of AMD cases is expected to double in the next 20 years.

More advances in AMD medication are expected in the coming years. Learn more about this degenerative eye condition and macular degeneration treatment at http://www.maculardegenerationtreatment.org.