Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most common causes of poor vision after age 60. Although the specific cause is unknown, AMD seems to be part of aging. While age is the most significant risk factor for developing AMD, heredity, blue eyes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and smoking have also been identified as risk factors. AMD accounts for 90 percent of new legal blindness in the US. Nine out of 10 people who have AMD have the dry form, which results in thinning of the macula, the area of the retina responsible for central vision. Dry AMD takes many years to develop. Currently there is no treatment.

The visual symptoms of AMD involve loss of central vision. While peripheral vision is unaffected, one loses the sharp, straight-ahead vision necessary for driving, reading, recognizing faces, and generally looking at detail. Imagine being able to see a clock on the wall but unable to make out the time or unable to read because you could not see parts of words on the page.

Promising AMD research is being done on many fronts. In the meantime, high-intensity reading lamps, magnifiers and other low-vision aids help people with AMD make the most of remaining vision.

The wet form of AMD occurs much less frequently (one out of 10 people) but is more serious.

Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic condition that can lead to the loss of central vision if not treated. But it doesn't have to. Having wet AMD may no longer mean losing your eyesight. Nor does it have to mean giving up the things that you enjoy.

For the first time, people with wet AMD have hope for better vision with LUCENTIS™ (RANIBIZUMAB INJECTION). In key clinical studies about 95% of patients treated with LUCENTIS™ monthly found that their vision stayed the same and up to 40% of those patients found that their vision significantly improved. And, LUCENTIS™ is the first FDA-approved wet AMD treatment that has shown such positive results.

The physicians of Medical Eye Associates will diagnosis the type of AMD that our patients have, and upon diagnosis of wet AMD will direct the patient for further care, which might include LUCENTIS™ treatment.

LUCENTIS™ is for prescription use only. Individual results with LUCENTIS™ may vary.