Risk of Macular Degeneration Progression

The risk of age related macular degeneration progression seems to be dependent on a number of interesting health related factors. Birmingham Ophthalmologist Tyler Hall, M.D. shared current research on predictive factors of age related macular degeneration (AMD) risk. “Recent research reported in the journal Ophthalmology evaluated the factors of age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, genetic variations, pre-existing retinal disease and drusen size to establish an algorithm for predicting the risk of patients in progressing to the move visually disabling advanced age related macular degeneration,” stated Dr. Hall. “What we now know for sure is that the increased risk of progression is correlated with age, lower educational level, being a current or former smoker and having a higher body mass index (BMI) than those who did not progress. This is helpful in how we counsel, evaluate and follow patients at risk for macular degeneration.”

If you are over 50 years old or even earlier if you have a family history of AMD or any of the risk factors mentioned, you should schedule an appointment by calling Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.
Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists & Corneal Specialists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and fitting of eyeglasses and eyewear.

Best AMD Treatment Result Considerations

Getting the best AMD treatment results requires some important considerations. Marc Michelson, M.D. of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center shared information about predictive factors and getting the best results for treatment of age related macular degeneration. “There are now a number of  long term clinical trials that demonstrate that there can be variability in patient responses to the Lucentis® injections used to treat age related macular degeneration,” said Dr. Michelson. “By using this knowledge we are able to establish a number of diagnostic and treatment parameters that are helpful to optimize treatment and monitoring regimens in order to get patients get the best possible results,” Dr. Michelson explained.

Here are some important factors and considerations that we know today:

·         The initial visual acuity is not a good indicator for patients treated with monthly injections of Lucentis®. But, a poorer initial visual acuity seems to predict greater overall improvement.

·         Smaller areas of blood vessel growth seem to respond better to treatment.

·         If treatment begins BEFORE any hemorrhage has occurred there is usually a more favorable result.

·         The visual acuity found between the 3 and 5 month visit seems to predict about where the 12 month visit acuity will end up.

·         If there is a recurrence of subretinal fluid there is usually a negative effect on the long term visual recovery and functioning.

While there can be no guarantees, by using this information we can work to hopefully avoid the catastrophic vision loss from Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).  YOUR role is to be consistent in scheduling routine eye exams if you are over 50 years old or even earlier if you have a family history of AMD-and should you notice symptoms including distortion of your vision, waviness or curving of lines or straight surfaces or a sudden change or spots of any kind, please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930 for an immediate appointment. The key to maintaining eye health and vision is early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

If you or someone you know has a family history of macular degeneration or is concerned about macular degeneration it is important to schedule regular eye exams by calling Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists & Corneal Specialists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and fitting of eyeglasses and eyewear.

Best AMD Treatment Result Considerations

Getting the best AMD treatment results requires some important considerations. Marc Michelson, M.D. of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center shared information about predictive factors and getting the best results for treatment of age related macular degeneration. “There are now a number of  long term clinical trials that demonstrate that there can be variability in patient responses to the Lucentis® injections used to treat age related macular degeneration,” said Dr. Michelson. “By using this knowledge we are able to establish a number of diagnostic and treatment parameters that are helpful to optimize treatment and monitoring regimens in order to get patients get the best possible results,” Dr. Michelson explained.

Here are some important factors and considerations that we know today:

·         The initial visual acuity is not a good indicator for patients treated with monthly injections of Lucentis®. But, a poorer initial visual acuity seems to predict greater overall improvement.

·         Smaller areas of blood vessel growth seem to respond better to treatment.

·         If treatment begins BEFORE any hemorrhage has occurred there is usually a more favorable result.

·         The visual acuity found between the 3 and 5 month visit seems to predict about where the 12 month visit acuity will end up.

·         If there is a recurrence of subretinal fluid there is usually a negative effect on the long term visual recovery and functioning.

While there can be no guarantees, by using this information we can work to hopefully avoid the catastrophic vision loss from Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).  YOUR role is to be consistent in scheduling routine eye exams if you are over 50 years old or even earlier if you have a family history of AMD-and should you notice symptoms including distortion of your vision, waviness or curving of lines or straight surfaces or a sudden change or spots of any kind, please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930 for an immediate appointment. The key to maintaining eye health and vision is early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

If you or someone you know has a family history of macular degeneration or is concerned about macular degeneration it is important to schedule regular eye exams by calling Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists & Corneal Specialists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and fitting of eyeglasses and eyewear.

Birmingham Doctor on Stroke Risk & AMD

Birmingham eye doctor Marc Michelson, M.D., shared important information about your risk of stroke if you have AMD or age related macular degeneration. “Researchers from The Rotterdam Study at the International Stroke Conference reported that older adults with late-stage, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may have a significantly higher risk for hemorrhagic stroke than do individuals without the eye disease,” said Dr. Michelson. There may be a common underlying process contributing to both age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and bleeding strokes, but more research will be needed to determine if that’s the case. Researchers found that the risk for any stroke was 56% higher in participants with late-stage AMD than in individuals without AMD after they controlled for the effects of age, sex, diabetes, blood pressure, use of antihypertensive medication, smoking, cholesterol levels, carotid artery plaques, body mass index, alcohol intake, and C-reactive protein levels.

“The single most significant finding in the study was that participants with late-stage AMD-either the wet or dry forms-had six fold higher risk for intracerebral hemorrhage or stroke than did participants without AMD,” noted Dr. Michelson of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham, AL.”This is a critical piece of information and one we need to be responsive to and keep patients and their physicians abreast of.”

If you or someone you know suffers from or is concerned about age related macular degeneration (AMD), especially if they are concerned about their risk of stroke or have a family history of stroke please feel free to schedule an eye exam by calling Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists & Corneal Specialists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and fitting of eyeglasses and eyewear.

Alabama AMD Macular Degeneration Awareness



Marc Michelson, M.D. Preps for Surgery

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center Ophthalmologist Marc Michelson, M.D. commented on Macular Degeneration Awareness month. “February marks the 2013 National Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month. This awareness of AMD is becoming more and more important each year as the number of people affected by macular degeneration is continuing to climb-especially as the baby boomer population ages,” said Dr. Michelson.

Prevent Blindness America estimates that more than 2 million people age 50 and older have late AMD which represents a 25 percent increase between 2000 and 2012.  “In the past, we were pretty much only able to give patients with age related macular degeneration (AMD) bad news about their vision and prognosis. Today, for most patients, with early detection, diagnosis and treatment, at a minimum we can prevent further vision loss from the disease and in many cases we can actually help recover lost vision,” said Dr. Michelson.

AMD causes central vision to blur, but leaves peripheral vision intact. It is progressive and painless. There are two types of AMD, a “Dry” form and a “Wet” form. It is estimated that 85-90% of people with AMD have the Dry form which results in a gradual vision loss. Fortunately, only 10-15% of people with AMD have the Wet form which often progresses much quicker and can cause catastrophic vision loss. Wet AMD is characterized by the growth of abnormal retinal blood vessels that leak blood or fluid. Leaking or bleeding vessels leads to swelling and bleeding in the Macula causing visual distortions or decreased vision. Over time, this can lead to scarring in the Macula and create damage that results in the loss of central vision. Patients can often reduce their risk of developing AMD by not smoking as well as eating a heart-healthy diet rich in fish, fruit and green leafy vegetables, avoiding foods with Trans fats, exercising and controlling blood pressure and weight.

“What patients need to know is that once you are over 50, it becomes increasingly important to have a thorough, comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years-and even more often if you have any family history of AMD or at the recommendation of your eye doctor. The key to preventing vision loss from AMD is early detection, quick diagnosis and then immediate access to treatment with vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGF) injections such as Lucentis®”, summarized Dr. Michelson.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about AMD, are concerned or have a risk of AMD or schedule an eye exam for age related macular degeneration please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists & Corneal Specialists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and fitting of eyeglasses and eyewear.