MACULAR DEGENERATION

Macular degeneration is a severe, vision threatening disease that every individual may face as they age. In this condition our central vision is destroyed. My uncle went legally blind due to macular degeneration and lost his ability to read and drive. This experience prompted me to begin treating SMD (Senile Macular Degeneration) sooner and more aggressively. Macular degeneration is often divided into two categories, dry and wet, but in truth they are a continuum.

In dry macular degeneration the floor below the retina becomes unstable and thins. This phase is only treated with medications, AREDS I and II. As macular degeneration continues blood vessels penetrate the underlying broken layer and bleed into the retina. This can cause potentially permanent visual loss due to scarring.

I treat wet macular degeneration with strong medications known as Anti-VEGF. These medications are given as injections into the eye. Although this process sounds painful, if given correctly, it may seem almost painless. The results can be dramatic, as retinal swelling will decrease in weeks. It does however require ongoing maintenance injections which I perform in each office of Eye Care Physicians and Surgeons of New Jersey. If you ever notice persistent distortion of your central vision, lines become wavy, or you notice persistent blind spots in your center vision, please call us for a prompt consultation.

-Dr. Carl Hyder