In its early stages, "wet" macular degeneration can be treated with traditional laser surgery, a brief and usually painless outpatient procedure. Laser surgery uses a highly focused beam of light to seal the leaking blood vessels that damage the macula. Although a small, permanently dark "blind spot" is left at the point of laser contact, the procedure can preserve more sight overall.

In 2000, the FDA approved a new treatment option for wet macular degeneration called Visudyne therapy. In this procedure, a light-activated drug known as verteporfin is injected into the bloodstream. Once the drug reaches the retina, it is activated by a non-thermal laser (a laser that does not burn the retina). This produces a clot that closes the abnormal vessels without causing damage to the overlying sensory retina. The abnormal blood vessels may return after several months. However, Visudyne therapy can be reapplied at up to three-month intervals if necessary.

The effectiveness of Visudyne for individual patients is not assured. In clinical trials preceding FDA approval, 46% of patients treated with Visudyne therapy lost less than three lines of vision (15 letters) on a standard eye chart compared to 33% of patients treated with a placebo. And when it came to severe vision loss, 70% of Visudyne patients lost less than six lines (30 letters) compared to 53% of placebo patients. Consequently, approximately 15% more patients treated with Visudyne were able to delay future vision loss compared to patients treated with a placebo.

The Visudyne is only approved for certain types of wet macular degeneration, so a retinal specialist will determine if the therapy is appropriate for you. The retinal specialists at Midwest Eye Care, Drs. Madson and Emig, were clinical investigators for the FDA Phase III trial of Visudyne therapy.

Verteporfin, the drug used in Visudyne therapy, is also used for chemotherapy and is quite expensive. While Medicare and most other insurers do cover the cost of the drug and the laser for specific indications, the patient may still have an out-of-pocket cost with this procedure.