Macular Degeneration Treatment & Monitoring in Los Angeles
Protecting the vision you read and recognize faces with.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision. It can impact reading, driving, and recognizing faces.
Our eye doctors in Los Angeles monitor both dry and wet forms of macular degeneration with advanced imaging to identify changes early and guide management.
OCT imaging to assess macular structure and fluid
Retinal photography to monitor progression
Education on lifestyle changes and nutritional supplementation
Prompt referral for retinal treatment when indicated
Early diagnosis is critical to preserving vision.
Live better with AMD
If central vision has already been lost.
Low vision care helps you use the vision you have
Magnification, lighting and contrast strategies for reading and daily tasks
Dry AMD progresses slowly; wet AMD involves fluid and needs prompt retinal treatment. We monitor both and refer immediately when wet changes appear.
For some stages, nutritional supplementation is part of management. We review what fits your case at the exam.
It depends on your stage and risk. Imaging at regular intervals is how change is caught early.
Family history is one of the strongest risk factors, along with age over 55, smoking and Caucasian ancestry. A parent or sibling with AMD does not make it certain, but it does make regular dilated exams and retinal imaging worth starting earlier.
Aging changes in the macula: waste deposits called drusen build up under the retina, the light-sensing cells above them thin (dry AMD), and in some eyes abnormal, leaky blood vessels grow underneath (wet AMD). Smoking raises the risk substantially; genetics, diet and cardiovascular health also contribute.
No. AMD affects central vision and leaves side vision intact, so it does not cause total blindness. Most people have the dry form, which usually progresses slowly over years; the wet form can take central vision quickly but is treatable with injections when caught early, which is what monitoring is for.
Dry AMD typically moves slowly, over years, through early, intermediate and late stages, and some eyes never reach the late stage. Wet AMD is different: vision can change in days to weeks, and the warning sign is straight lines looking wavy or a blurred spot in the center. That is why patients with intermediate AMD check an Amsler grid at home between imaging visits.
The AREDS2 formula (vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein and zeaxanthin), which in National Eye Institute trials lowered the risk of intermediate AMD progressing to late AMD. It does not help early AMD, does not prevent AMD in healthy eyes, and is not a substitute for monitoring. We tell you whether your stage qualifies.
