To learn more about macular degeneration treatment for Stockton and Sacramento-area patients, contact Heritage Eye, Skin & Laser Center today. We can help you control the disease in order to preserve your vision.
Heritage Eye, Skin & Laser Center
445 West Poplar Street
Stockton, California 95203
Ph. (866) 922-0405
Fax. (209) 465-2562
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Providing Stockton, Modesto, and Sacramento with LASIK and Other Ophthalmology ServicesMacular Degeneration Treatment – Preserving Vision for Stockton and Sacramento Foothills Patients
Though other eye diseases often threaten senior vision care patients, including cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of vision loss among patients over 65 is macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration or AMD. Without treatment, this condition causes severe central vision loss. Because of our unwavering commitment to the most advanced technology and treatment strategies, patients who visit Heritage Eye, Skin & Laser Center for macular degeneration treatment in Stockton, located near Sacramento, can rest assured that they are receiving the most effective care available for this serious disease. Our doctors want to help you see better and enjoy life more.
About Macular Degeneration
The macula is the central region of the retina on the inner surface of the eye. This surface is responsible for collecting high-resolution central vision images and transmitting them to the brain. In patients affected by macular degeneration, this surface gradually thins and deteriorates, and without treatment it may destroy central vision completely.
Stages of Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration progresses through stages. In the early one, known as dry macular degeneration, the disease is asymptomatic but can be identified by your eye doctor during an examination through the presence of yellow deposits called drusen on the macula. Because an eye examination is the only way to identify early-stage macular degeneration, regular appointments at Heritage Eye, Skin & Laser Center are crucial for Stockton and Sacramento-area individuals at risk of macular degeneration so that treatment can begin as soon as possible once the disease appears.
As macular degeneration progresses and the macula deteriorates, patients begin to experience increasingly blurry and distorted vision. Straight lines sometimes appear crooked or broken to people with macular degeneration, and their vision may also appear shadowed or dim. Ultimately, about 10 percent of macular degeneration cases progress to wet macular degeneration. In this stage new blood vessels form inside the eye, leaking fluid and blood under the macula and causing rapid central vision loss.
Macular Degeneration Treatment
Dry macular degeneration treatment is difficult, although making dietary changes as instructed by your doctor can help slow its progression. Our doctors typically advise patients to take certain antioxidants called carotenoids, which are naturally present in the macula and may help slow macular degeneration.
Once the disease progresses to wet macular degeneration, both surgical and medicinal treatment strategies exist. Though these treatments cannot reverse the progress of the disease or restore lost vision, they can slow its progression significantly. Even for patients whose eyes do not respond to treatment many alternatives exist. Low vision aids such as magnifying glasses, video camera systems, and large-print books can make it easier to live with the disease. Macular degeneration treatment patients at Heritage Eye, Skin & Laser Center near Stockton and Modesto continue to have access to the latest treatment options as they become available.
Non-surgical Macular Degeneration Treatment
The drugs prescribed for macular degeneration treatment are called anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) medications. These drugs inhibit the development of abnormal blood vessels in the eyes, slowing the progression of macular degeneration.
Surgical Macular Degeneration Treatment
Laser photocoagulation surgery is the only surgical macular degeneration treatment currently available. This procedure involves treating retinal blood vessels with laser energy to remove them. It is only safe to treat leaking vessels that are not too close to the macula. This treatment is only appropriate for about 20 percent of all macular degeneration patients.
Contact Heritage Eye, Skin & Laser Center Today
Though macular degeneration is currently incurable, catching the disease early and beginning treatment immediately can help slow its progression significantly. To take the right steps toward preserving your vision, contact Heritage Eye, Skin & Laser Center today and learn more about the macular degeneration treatment options available near Sacramento and Stockton through our practice.