Macular Degeneration Treatments: What Are My Options?

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss for older adults in the U.S. 

If you or a loved one end up developing age-related macular degeneration, you’re not alone. Age-related macular degeneration is relatively common, so a number of medications have been developed and approved to help prevent further eye damage. Here’s what you need to know about age-related macular degeneration and your treatment options.  

What is macular degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration is a common cause of central vision loss in people older than 55 years. It affects people’s central vision. You use central vision to focus on objects in front of you and to complete everyday tasks like writing, reading, typing, or driving. There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet.

Dry age-related macular degeneration

Dry macular degeneration is the more common form of age-related macular degeneration. It develops because as people age their macula starts to thin out and develop protein deposits called drusen. 

The macula is in the back of the eye and is part of the retina. It’s responsible for allowing you to see details. As the macula becomes thinner, it doesn’t work as well, this makes vision become blurry. People tend to develop dry age-related macular degeneration in both eyes. Dry macular degeneration tends to progress slowly over time.

Wet macular degeneration

Wet macular degeneration develops when abnormal blood vessels start growing under the macula. These blood vessels leak, which causes swelling and scarring of the macula. A swollen or scarred macula doesn’t work well so people develop changes in their vision. 

Unlike dry macular degeneration, the wet form can progress quickly and lead to rapid vision loss. People can develop wet age-related macular degeneration in one or both eyes. And dry age-related macular degeneration can turn into wet age-related macular degeneration.

What are the treatment options for macular degeneration?

Treatment for macular degeneration depends on whether you have the dry or wet form and how severe your symptoms are. You may be eligible for several types of treatment. 

Vitamins for macular degeneration

If you have intermediate or late-stage macular degeneration, you may be able to take AREDS-2 vitamins to slow down your macular degeneration. This can help you preserve your current vision for longer. AREDS-2 vitamins contain a specific combination of antioxidants and other vitamins that support healthy vision. These vitamins are:

• 10 mg lutein

• 2 mg zeaxanthin

• 400 IU vitamin E

• 500 mg vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

• 80 mg zinc oxide

• 2 mg copper oxide

In studies, people taking these vitamins every day were less likely to experience progression of their macular degeneration from the intermediate to the late form. They also had lower rates of vision loss. 

While vitamins can’t cure age-related macular degeneration, they’re a way to help you protect your current vision. 

Anti-VEGF eye injections for macular degeneration

Anti-VEGF eye injections can treat wet macular degeneration. Anti-VEGF medications stop blood vessels from growing underneath the macula and keep them from coming back. Common anti-VEGF medications that can treat wet macular degeneration include:

• Ranibizumab (available as Lucentis, Byooviz, Cimerli, Susvimo)

• Bevacizumab (Avastin)

• Aflibercept (Eylea) 

• faricimab-svoa (Vabysmo)

• brolucizumab (Beovu)

Studies show that many people who receive anti-VEGF medications are less likely to have worsening of their vision, and some people even regain some of their vision. 

Are there any new treatments for macular degeneration?

In 2023, the FDA approved two medications to treat geographic atrophy, a form of advanced dry macular degeneration:

• Syfovre (pegcetacoplan)

• Izervay (avacincaptad pegol)

These two medications are only available as eye injections and they’re the first approved treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration. These medications have been proven to show reduction in the amount of geographic atrophy by slowing the pathway that causes retinal cell death. 

These medications, however, can lead to serious side effects including vision loss, and several cases of inflammation of the retinal vessels have been reported. Some experts don’t recommend these medications even for people who are eligible for them as the overall benefits to vision may be outweighed by the risks.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Nishika Reddy, MD

Nishika Reddy, MD, is an attending physician at the University of Utah. She provides comprehensive and cornea medical care at the Moran Eye Center and serves as clinical assistant professor.

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