Hope for Dry Macular Degeneration: How Photobiomodulation Supports Retinal Health

The retina of your eye is vital for central vision, which enables you to see objects directly in front of you. The macula, located in the center of your retina, provides clear vision of fine details when performing tasks such as reading text, observing the movement of small objects, and distinguishing faces.

Macular degeneration directly affects how well your macula works, and it’s a common enough problem that over 19 million people in America struggle with it every day, with people who smoke, have a family history, are overweight, and those over 65 at higher risk of developing it. 

The condition isn’t curable, but treatments like photobiomodulation can help alleviate symptoms in this part of your eye. Dr. Jeffrey Rapkin and his dedicated staff at Retina Consultants of Muncie are here for residents of Muncie, Indiana, struggling with vision problems stemming from conditions such as macular degeneration.

Causes and effects of dry macular degeneration

Of the two forms of this illness, dry (atrophic) or wet (exudative) macular degeneration, dry is by far the most common, affecting almost 90% of people with the illness. The vision loss associated with the dry form results from the buildup of a protein called drusen. It forms underneath the macula and develops slowly enough that most don’t know it’s happening.

As dry macular degeneration progresses, you may experience signs such as blank or dark spots in your vision, blurred vision, low vision, problems seeing colors or color changes, and issues seeing in low light. It also causes you to see straight lines as wavy or curvy, an early sign that you should get examined as soon as possible.

Facts about photobiomodulation

This treatment works by using lower levels of red light on targeted areas to increase mitochondrial production and improve cell function. This therapy is used to treat many conditions, including arthritis, dementia, inflammation, pain, tendonopathy, and hair loss.

To manage dry macular degeneration, the FDA has approved exposing the damaged macula to these lights to slow the progression of the illness. Since this disease causes light-sensitive retinal cells to break down, photobiomodulation helps to manage its impact on your vision.

How it works

A device designed by LumiThera called the Valeda Light Delivery System applies a range of wavelengths of light to affected eyes, specifically yellow (590 nm), red (660 nm), and near-infrared (850 nm). This offers a comprehensive approach to treating the underlying cellular mechanisms of retinal diseases, such as dry macular degeneration.

Studies have shown its effectiveness in managing this macular disease at multiple stages, with benefits lasting up to a year after treatment. This gives us a solution to manage a vision-impairing illness without surgery, injections, or other intrusive means.

To manage your problems with dry macular degeneration or other retinal conditions, make an appointment with Dr. Rapkin and the Retina Consultants of Muncie team today.