Sydney Eye Care - Burwood
02 9715 1311
Suite 26, Level 4 12 Railway Parade, Burwood, NSW 2134
HomeFind UsEye ConditionsTreatmentsPatient InformationFAQsBlogsReferral Form

Wet Macula Degeneration

Wet Macula Degeneration
Wet macula degeneration is a condition that needs to be treated if found

Intravitreal Injections

For patients with Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), a treatment called intra-vitreal anti-vegf injections are available. These injections help control the growth of abnormal blood vessels and prevents them from leaking. However, it does not repair damage in the retina's inner layer caused by these vessels.

Lucentis is prescribed for patients with:

  • Wet AMD
  • Macular swelling from retinal vein occlusion
  • Macular swelling due to uncontrolled diabetes

Treatment Stages with anti-vegf Injections

1. Induction Phase

In the induction phase, anti-vegf is injected to prevent new abnormal vessels from forming and leaking.

Improvements in retinal swelling and vision may be immediate or take several months, and monthly follow-ups with your ophthalmologist, including regular macular scans, help monitor progress. This phase aims to stabilize or improve vision.

Alternative treatments, such as retinal laser photocoagulation, may also be used. This laser procedure targets specific areas in the retina, helping seal the leaky and abnormal blood vessels beneath the macula.

2. Maintenance Phase

After vision is stabilized, ongoing treatments are necessary to preserve the gains achieved in the induction phase. Continued Lucentis injections help maintain vision, as the vessels—while inactive—remain in the retina.

Should these vessels begin growing again, restoring control may become more challenging.

Options for Maintaining Stability

  1. Monthly Injections
    Regular monthly injections have shown the best outcomes for maintaining vision gained in the induction phase.

  2. Extended Injection Intervals
    Often, the interval between injections can be extended to 6–8 weeks, with minimal risk. Patients should monitor for any vision changes and continue regular macular scans to catch early vessel reactivation. If growth resumes, monthly injections are reinstated.

  3. Monthly Review A monthly eye exam with macular scans ensures early detection of any reactivation. If abnormal vessel activity is detected, injections will resume promptly.