Treatment

Patient education

Visual and reading aids: magnifying glass

Avoid risk factors (e.g., smoking)

Improve diet (i.e., high in green leafy vegetables and fish)

Antioxidants therapy: vitamins A, C, and E, beta-carotene, zinc

First-line: injection of VEGF inhibitors (ranibizumab, bevacizumab, pegaptanib) into the vitreous body

Second-line: when VEGF is contraindicated

• Laser coagulation: direct thermal coagulation of neovascularization

• Photodynamic therapy: intravenously administered dye is activated in the eye by laser light → local toxic effect → thrombosis of subretinal neovascularizations

Chronic progressive course for both types

Prognosis for dry AMD is significantly better than for wet AMD

Complete loss of central vision is possible but rare