My Eyes Are Always Dry: What Does that Mean?
Dry eyes mean your body isn’t making tears the way it should. Here’s a look at why this happens and what you can do to get relief.
Consider These 3 Treatment Options for Macular Degeneration
Most people expect to deal with some eye issues as they age. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) can cause faster, more severe vision loss than you anticipated, though.
The good news? If you catch it early, applying targeted treatment can slow your macular degeneration, protecting your vision through the years. To help with that, we offer ARMD care at all of our Benjamin Optical offices throughout New York City. At any Benjamin Optical location, our team can help you identify the right treatment option to slow your ARMD.
Usually, that means choosing from one of these three treatments.
At-home changes
If you caught your macular degeneration early — something that should happen if you’re getting regular eye exams — you may be able to slow its progression with relatively easy changes at home.
Specifically, we can recommend dietary changes and vitamin supplements to support healthy vision. These changes can slow macular degeneration, preserving your ability to see. If you’ve already lost central vision in one eye but can still see clearly in the other, these modifications can help to protect your better eye.
Eye injections
Optical experts have developed targeted medication called anti-VEGF drugs. VEGF stands for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a protein that can contribute to the development of abnormal blood vessels in your eye.
Anti-VEGF eye injections slow vision loss in the majority of people — 9 out of 10, to be exact — and even improve vision in about 30% of recipients.
Generally, you’ll continue getting these injections every 1-3 months to keep your macular degeneration under control.
Photodynamic therapy
This option uses a specialized type of medication and a laser to target abnormal blood vessels in your eye and seal them off. This can help to prevent further vision loss as a result of your ARMD.
Finding the right macular degeneration treatment for you
While all of these treatments can help prevent more vision loss, one might work better than another for you. Our team of macular degeneration specialists evaluates your eyes using diagnostic tools like a slit lamp device. This allows us to recommend the best treatment option for you.
You should know, though, that ARMD treatment focuses on slowing the degeneration, not on reversing it. In most people, the vision that’s been lost can’t be recovered. As a result, if you notice any vision changes, you should make an appointment with our team right away. The sooner we start care, the more we can protect your eyesight through the years.
To schedule an eye exam or talk with us about any vision changes you’ve noticed, call any of our offices or book an appointment online today.
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