- Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration
- Geographic Atrophy
- Appointment Prep
- View Full Guide
Wet AMD Injection Info
Introduction to Wet AMD
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes your central vision to get worse as you get older. There are two types: wet and dry. Wet AMD is the rarer, more serious form of the condition.
What Causes Wet AMD?
Wet AMD happens when new blood vessels form in the back of your eye that leak fluid and damage your macula. There are a couple of types of treatments that can help slow or prevent vision loss from wet AMD: injected medication and laser procedures.
Injected Medication
Shots into the eye are by far the most common treatment for wet AMD. These injectable drugs block vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein, which is involved in creating new blood vessels. These medications can reduce vision loss and sometimes even improve vision.
Types of Anti-VEGF Drugs
Common anti-VEGF drugs include aflibercept (Eylea), bevacizumab (Avastin), pegaptanib (Macugen), and ranibizumab (Lucentis). Each works slightly differently but offers similar benefits and risks.
Injection Procedure
The injection procedure is quick and usually painless. Your doctor will numb your eye, clean it, and use a very thin needle to give you the shot.
Follow-Up Care
You might feel some discomfort after the injection. Over-the-counter pain relievers and cool washcloths can help. Watch for serious side effects like eye pain or vision changes.
Frequency of Injections
How often you need these injections depends on your case of wet AMD. It could be as often as every few weeks or as far apart as every few months. Some people may be able to stop getting injections.
Photodynamic Therapy
For some patients, photodynamic therapy may be an option. This involves a light-sensitive drug and a laser to seal off leaking blood vessels.
Photocoagulation Therapy
A type of laser surgery called photocoagulation can also treat wet AMD. It burns and seals leaky blood vessels but is suitable only for specific cases and comes with risks.
Ask Your Doctor
Talk to your eye doctor if you notice vision changes. Early treatment can help manage symptoms and may even restore some vision.
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Beatrice Brewington, MD, assistant professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
American Academy of Ophthalmology Eye Wiki: “Bevacizumab.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Photodynamic Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration,” "Laser Photocoagulation for Age-Related Macular Degeneration."
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Mayo Clinic: “Wet macular degeneration - Symptoms and causes,” “Wet macular degeneration - Diagnosis and treatment.”
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Macular Society: “Wet age-related macular degeneration.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).”
National Health Service (U.K.): “Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - Treatments”