Laser treatments are an effective treatment option for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in certain people. AMD is one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness in U.S. adults.

There are two types of AMD: wet and dry. Laser treatments can treat wet AMD but not dry AMD. However, treatments may be available for co-occurring eye conditions in people with dry AMD.

Lasers can seal the abnormal blood vessels that grow, leak, and cause vision loss in wet AMD. While laser treatments are not a cure for vision loss due to AMD, they can slow the progression and help maintain the vision you have.

This article explores who is a good candidate for AMD laser treatment, what procedures are available, and any complications to know about.

Lasers are used to stop the damage caused by abnormal blood vessels. The light beams seal off blood vessels to stop the leaking and the resulting damage to your eyes.

This means laser surgery for wet AMD can slow down vision loss and reduce your symptoms. The procedure length varies by type, but these procedures are generally performed in an outpatient setting, such as a doctor’s office, and have minimal recovery time.

Thermal laser photocoagulation

Thermal laser photocoagulation is sometimes called “hot” laser surgery. You’ll have this surgery at an eye clinic or a doctor’s office. The procedure involves using a laser to seal off the abnormal blood vessels in your eyes and prevent leaking.

During the procedure:

  1. An eye care professional will give you numbing eye drops and injections to ensure that you’re not in pain.
  2. They will place a special contact lens in your affected eye. The lens will help the laser focus on your retina.
  3. The laser will close off the blood vessels.
  4. You’ll temporarily cover your eye to block light and help your eye heal.

You’ll receive anesthesia for this procedure, so you’ll need someone to drive you home afterward. Someone should also stay with you after the procedure to monitor for complications. It might be several hours before you can remove your eye covering.

In many cases, your doctor will advise you to stay inside for several days after your procedure. Direct sunlight can be hard on the treated eye(s), which will be sensitive.

Your doctor might also advise you to take over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications to help manage any soreness in the days after your treatment.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT)

PDT involves using a laser and medication together to help treat wet AMD. An eye care professional will inject the medication into your arm right before the procedure.

The medication reacts to light. It collects abnormal blood vessels in your eyes and is activated by the laser. This creates clots that seal off the blood vessels.

During the procedure:

  1. An eye care professional will give you an injection of light-sensitive medication.
  2. They will also give you numbing eye drops to ensure that you don’t feel any pain.
  3. They will place a special contact lens in your eye. The lens will help the laser focus on your retina.
  4. You’ll receive laser treatment that will activate the medication and cause it to form clots in the abnormal blood vessels. This will seal off the vessels and prevent leaks.
  5. You’ll temporarily cover your eye to block light and help your eye heal.

As with thermal laser photocoagulation, you’ll need someone to drive you home and stay with you after the procedure. You’ll also need to keep your eye covered for a few hours after the treatment. Your vision might still be blurry once you remove the covering.

Your doctor will likely advise you to stay indoors for a few days and to take OTC pain medication as needed.

There are two types of AMD: wet and dry. Laser treatments are used only for wet AMD.

Dry AMD progresses slowly. It’s generally treated with vision aids, such as glasses and magnifiers, and with dietary supplements called AREDS 1 and 2.

Wet AMD usually progresses more quickly than dry AMD. In wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels grow under your retina and leak into your eye. This can cause scarring, damage, and rapid vision loss.

Generally, before recommending laser treatments, doctors will prescribe anti-VEGF drugs to help control the growth of blood vessels. These treatments are given through injections directly into your eye. But they don’t work for everyone with wet AMD.

Laser treatments can help slow down vision loss in wet AMD if the condition isn’t responding to anti-VEGF medications.

Laser surgery for AMD can reduce vision loss and help with the symptoms of wet AMD, but it is not a cure.

Blood vessels can leak again, so further treatments might be necessary. Additionally, not all affected vessels can be treated with laser surgery. The untreated vessels can continue to leak and cause damage. The damage will likely happen more slowly than it did before treatment, but it will not completely stop.

Laser treatments can also destroy some healthy tissue around the abnormal blood vessels, although this is more common with thermal lasers.

Laser surgery for AMD is generally considered safe, but there are some risks to be aware of, including:

  • temporary blurriness in your vision
  • short-term hypersensitivity to the sun and bright lights
  • increased risk of sunburn
  • damage to surrounding eye tissue and structures, including your retina
  • a blind spot in your vision
  • bleeding in your eye
  • the return of abnormal blood vessels

FAQ: Can laser therapy prevent AMD?

Laser therapy can’t prevent AMD. Having laser treatments has not been shown to prevent or reduce the risk of AMD.

Macular degeneration isn’t fully preventable because a combination of genetic and environmental factors likely causes it.

However, you can take steps to lower your risk of AMD and other eye diseases, such as getting regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, and attending routine eye exams.

Learn more about eye health:

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It’s important to rest after laser eye surgery. You’ll most likely be able to go home after the procedure. Aftercare and recovery may involve:

  • taking over-the-counter pain relief medications, as recommended by a doctor
  • wearing an eye patch
  • wearing dark sunglasses

It’s common to experience blurriness after laser eye surgery, but be sure to contact a doctor if you have other symptoms, such as:

  • swelling of your eye
  • inflammation
  • worsening vision

Here are some frequently asked questions about laser surgery for macular degeneration.

How successful is laser surgery for macular degeneration?

Laser surgery for AMD can help reduce vision loss and the symptoms of wet AMD, but it is not a cure.

What is the newest treatment for macular degeneration?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the medications Syfovre (pegcetacoplan) and Izervay (avacincaptad pegol) to treat late-stage AMD.

Can macular degeneration be fixed with LASIK?

LASIK surgery is used to change the shape of the cornea to improve vision. Laser surgery can improve the symptoms of wet AMD.

Laser surgery is a treatment for wet AMD that does not respond to anti-VEGF medication or has high risk features.

These procedures close or destroy abnormal blood vessels to prevent them from leaking. This can slow vision loss and reduce the symptoms of wet AMD.

Any laser surgery for wet AMD is typically an outpatient procedure at an eye clinic. Recovery time is usually minimal, but you must have someone else drive you home from your procedure. You might also need to stay indoors for a few days to avoid direct sunlight.

While laser treatments are not a cure for wet AMD, they are considered a safe and effective way to reduce AMD’s progression and severity.

If you have wet AMD and feel that your current treatment regimen isn’t working, you can talk with your doctor about whether you might be a candidate for laser surgery.