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My mom was diagnosed with dry macular degeneration one year ago. She has had a sinus infection for the last week and says that her vision has more “waves” in it. Could the “waves” be caused by the infection? [ 07/23/12 ]
Sinus infections typically do not worsen age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Increased distortion in your mother's vision is concerning, and she would likely benefit from clinical evaluation by an eye doctor. The eye specialist can determine if a disease process is responsible for the deterioration in vision, and if treatment or referral would be beneficial. My wife has wet macular degeneration in both eyes, but she has had the disease in her right eye the longest. Can Eylea be injected in both eyes during the same visit? [ 03/20/12 ]
Eyelea, Avastin, or Lucentis can be injected in both eyes during the same visit if both eyes are in need of treatment. Treatment in both eyes at the same visit is more convenient, but must be balanced with the increased discomfort of having both eyes injected. Please speak to your retinal specialist to determine the most appropriate treatment course for your wife. I'm 49-year-old female and have been diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). I have already had one injection of Lucentis, and would like to know why I'm still losing the sight in my right eye? Doctors think my ARMD is related to trauma, but I haven't had any trauma to my eye since I was a teenager; however, I have had some blows to the head. I want to read my books, but they just cause strain headaches. At work, I am on a computer for 12 hours each day; I have to change the contrast and brightness on the monitor and also turn off the lights because of the eye headaches. Would it hurt to wear a patch over the eye occasionally to give it a rest? [ 03/19/12 ]
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is extremely uncommon before age 55, so there is likely some other cause of your macular degeneration. Fortunately, Lucentis is effective as a treatment for a number of different diseases that cause the the growth of new blood vessels in the eye. Without knowing your specific disease and Lucentis dosing schedule I cannot comment specifically on why your vision is getting worse. As a generalization, about 10% of ARMD patients treated with Lucentis lost vision during the clinical trials. Your eye disease may have a higher or lower rate of vision loss with Lucentis treatment compared to patients with ARMD. During a routine eye examination, a cataract removal was recommended. Pre-operative angiography showed only drusen. After the first cataract procedure, the second eye cataract was removed ten days later. Subsequently, four weeks later, a YAG laser capsulotomy was performed on both eyes. Can you please clarify whether any of the procedures could have caused or accelerated the progression of the wet age-related macular degeneration? [ 03/18/12 ]
Cataract surgery has not been definitively linked to causing or worsening age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) despite multiple studies examining the link between the two. YAG laser capsulotomy has likewise not been linked to causing or worsening ARMD, but this procedure is connected to a slightly higher rate of retinal detachment. I am 67 years old and I am being treated with azathioprine for Wegener’s granulomatosis. I was recently also diagnosed with wet macular degeneration and require Lucentis injections. I wonder if Wegeners could be the cause of the bleeding in the macular area. Can you comment on that? [ 03/17/12 ]
In wet age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), bleeding is caused by growth of new blood vessels, called chorodial neovascularization, or CNV. Wegener's granulomatosis is a disease where the body attacks its own small and medium blood vessels, causing inflammation. Typically, Wegener's granulomatosis affects the nose and kidneys, though it can cause various problems in the existing retinal blood vessels as well. Wegener's granulomatosis would not likely cause bleeding from the CNV secondary to ARMD. Are steroids, such as prednisone, contraindicated if you have macular degeneration? [ 03/16/12 ]
Oral steroids such as prednisone are not prohibited if you have age-related macular degeneration; however, this class of medication has a long list of side effects, which your doctor should make you aware of. Can tanning beds cause dry macular degeneration? [ 03/15/12 ]
Tanning beds have not been definitively linked to causing or exacerbating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, ultraviolet (UV) radiation is released by the sun or artificial sources such as sun lamps or tanning beds. UV light can cause severe damage to our eyes and skin, including an increased risk for AMD, cataracts, skin cancer, snow blindness, and premature aging of the skin. In some states, legislation has been passed to restrict youth access to tanning beds. It is recommended that overexposure to sunlight be prevented by wearing wide-brimmed hats and using high quality sunglasses that have a rating of 99- or 100-percent UV-A and UV-B protection, and preferentially wraparound sunglasses to block harmful rays entering from the side. I have been diagnosed with Best disease. I would like to find more information regarding the progression of the disease, current research, and any effective treatments. Also, I would be interested to know if there are ways that I can compensate for my visual limitations. Thank you. [ 03/14/12 ]
The e-medicine review article below is freely accessible on the internet and offers a reasonable overview of Best disease. No treatments are currently available for this eye disorder; however, many ways exist to maximize remaining visual potential. A low vision specialist can help you determine ways to compensate for your visual limitations. Your retinal specialist can help you obtain a referral. Search for a Question
Disclaimer: The information provided here is a public service of the BrightFocus Foundation and should not in any way substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional; it is not intended to constitute medical advice. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice. BrightFocus Foundation does not endorse any medical product or therapy. All medications and supplements should only be taken under medical supervision. Also, although we make every effort to keep the medical information on our website updated, we cannot guarantee that the posted information reflects the most up-to-date research. Some of the content in this section is adapted from other sources, which are clearly identified within each individual item of information. Last Review: 04/26/13 |
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