Treatment Options

Wet AMD Treatment:

Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) can be treated with laser surgery, photodynamic therapy, and most recently, injection of medication into the eye. None of these treatments is a cure for wet AMD. The disease and loss of vision may progress despite treatment.

In laser surgery, a high energy beam of light is aimed directly onto the new blood vessels and destroys them, preventing further loss of vision. However, laser treatment may also destroy some surrounding healthy tissue and some vision. Only a small percentage of people with wet AMD can be treated with laser surgery. Laser surgery is usually performed in a doctor’s office.

In photodynamic therapy, a drug called Visudyne® (verteporfin) is injected into your arm. It travels throughout the body, including the new blood vessels in your eye. The drug tends to “stick” to the surface of new blood vessels. Next, a light is shined into your eye for about 90 seconds. The light activates the drug which then destroys the new blood vessels and leads to a slower rate of vision decline. Unlike laser surgery, this treatment does not destroy surrounding healthy tissue. Because the drug is activated by light, you must avoid exposing your skin or eyes to direct sunlight or bright indoor light for five days after treatment.

The latest advancement in the treatment of wet AMD is the use of drugs that are injected into the eye (anti-VEGF therapy). Abnormally high levels of a specific growth factor occur in eyes with wet AMD and promote the growth of abnormal new blood vessels. These drug treatments block the effects of the growth factor. Patients typically need multiple injections that may be given as often as monthly. This drug treatment can help slow down vision loss from Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and in some cases even improve sight. The two most commonly used agents are Avastin® (bevacizumab) and Lucentis® (ranibizumab).

Dry AMD Treatment:

The National Eye Institute’s Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) found that taking a specific high-dose formulation of antioxidants and zinc significantly reduces the risk of advanced AMD and its associated vision loss. Slowing AMD’s progression from the intermediate stage to the advanced stage will save the vision of many people. Ongoing studies are also looking at the role of dietary supplements containing lutein/zeaxanthin as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Various drug therapies are in clinical trials.

GARDEN CITY, LONG ISLAND
450 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530
Phone: 516.832.8000
For a LASIK consultation, please call (516) 832-8000 ext. 4
MANHATTAN
185 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor (On the corner of 34th Street) New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212.689.7676
For a LASIK consultation, please call (516) 832-8000 ext. 4
HAUPPAUGE, LONG ISLAND
200 Motor Parkway, Suite D-25 Hauppauge, NY 11788
Phone: 631.952.8000
For a LASIK consultation, please call (516) 832-8000 ext. 4
spanish flagamerican flag
HIPAA Policy PRIVACY POLICY SECTION 1557 - AFFORDABLE CARE ACT Accessibility Disclaimer
Facebook Twitter Instagram Blog

If you are seeking a Long Island LASIK specialist, the eye doctors at Stahl Eyecare Experts would like to offer you a great opportunity in laser eye surgery. Brought to you by professional, experienced Long Island LASIK surgeons, our one-of-a-kind medical facility brings not only cutting-edge technology, but experienced hands in ophthalmology as well. Helping you achieve your personal best vision is mission critical at our Long Island LASIK office. If LASIK cost is something that has been holding you back please feel free to review our options regarding LASIK Financing. We are dedicated to providing the best in patient education so that our patients can make a well-educated decision as to whether or not LASIK would be a good vision correction option. Remember, not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK. This is precisely why you need to have an experienced LASIK surgeon in Long Island evaluate you to make sure that this is the right eye surgery procedure for you! If LASIK is not the best procedure for you, we offer other ophthalmology procedures such as cataract surgery to help you see better. If you are seeking a Long Island cataract surgeon we are happy to offer cataract consultations to educate you about this process and determine your vision correction options.

If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call 516.832.8000.

All Rights Reserved. Stahl Eyecare Experts ©2024

Stahl Eyecare Experts
Back to top